With Philadelphia 76ers, Is Patience A Virtue?

Sep 29, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie talks with reporters during media day at the Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

With a rapidly approaching trading deadline, the Philadelphia 76ers have preached patience. But does patience really pay off with team right now?

The Philadelphia 76ers fans, players, coaches and front office have been extremely patient in the past three years. Patience that can only be compared to saintly virtue. Despite winning fewer that 20 games per season for what may be the third year running, the team is sticking to it’s guns and awaiting the development of it’s young stars. Young talented men who have entered the realm of the NBA to expand their skills, see how they stack up, and grow into a formidable team for years to come. If the team is on the right track, or the path is unclear, patience and methodical prevent haste-filled mistakes. Waiting to see what a player has, what the team’s scheme will be, how players mesh are all crucial factors

But sometimes patience can be counterproductive. Sometimes waiting won’t get you there. When you prepare a meal for a large gathering, the entree is slow cooked and takes hours. Some courses were prepared days before. But some courses must be prepared quickly, rapidly, and time just so it arrives when the rest of the meal arrives to perfection.

And then, the banquet is set, and the food line begins. Everybody stands around waiting for that first person to grab their plate and begin.

The NBA can be a little bit like that banquet. Each front office is trying to bring their team to their optimal best. But in the course of weighing out options, there is an inherent force of random chance and unforeseen variables. Chemistry, upside, compatibility with team design, but fear of making the mistake that would set a team back years in their progress.

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But sometimes a team is hesitant for a different reason. Sometimes the paralyzation happens because there are simply too many options, too many choices, too many forks in the road. How many players are the Philadelphia 76ers away from playing over .500? How close is this team? Jerry Colangelo, whose voice certainly has and will weigh in on the matter, thinks it’s still premature to think the team should actively pursue trades at this point.

"“I’m interested in seeing how guys play between now and the end of the season. People like to talk about the trade deadline. That’s going to come and that’s going to go. We still have to play X number of games before the end of the season. That’s all part of the analysis in terms of what we do relative to the draft and free agency and other options at the end of the year.” – Jerry Colangelo spoke on February 2nd"

But there are other voices in the room. Sam Hinkie, known for making impactful decisions quickly, and Brett Brown, who knows who currently gets the team design and who is working awfully hard to fit in an unnatural role. There is the offensive insights of Mike D’Antoni, who is shaping this team into a highly effective offense.

What’s the rush? The deadline is in four days. The shopping list includes wings and two-way players. And with the team’s recent success, free agency is certainly a viable option.

One player can make a difference. We have witnessed the change of the team in adding point guard Ish Smith to the roster. And despite the likelihood of four first round picks, the team is already set to take it to the next level with the arrival of Joel Embiid and Dario Saric. It’s pretty safe to say that the team would be overwhelmed with six new faces competing for roster spots. Can the team anticipate the moves and convert players at risk of no roster spot tomorrow into a trade today?

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With Sam Hinkie, anything is possible if he finds the right trading partner. We know the plan needs to take a fork in the road. Will the plan go toward a Nerlens Noel / Joel Embiid pairing, or towards a Jahlil Okafor/ Joel Embiid pairing? Or will the team try hard to place square pegs into round holes? If this were just Sam Hinkie’s call, you can bet he’d be in discussions now to maximize the return in time for the upcoming NBA draft.

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In the off-season, the Philadelphia 76ers could be on-boarding as many as five new faces (assuming Embiid has already undergone the familiarization process), all of whom have a legitimate expectation of making the roster. With Carl Landy, Elton Brand, and Kendall Marshall‘s fit next year in question, that places two players this years roster on the way out next season. Is there a way to parlay that expected cut, or even to consider shedding a late first round pick, for an impact player today?

Ish Smith was not expected to be that impact player, but he was immediately that when he arrived in Philly. Is there another out there in the NBA? I’m certain of it. Can Philadelphia and the “mystery team” agree to terms in four days? Perhaps. But sitting and waiting costs as well. Opportunity costs. If a team hits one one more player, that could place them on the radar for any number of 2016 free agent players who are looking to sign on with an improving team. Patience may be a virtue, but right now it’s value may be limited for the Philadelphia 76ers.