The Sixer Sense
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If You Rejoiced At Sam Hinkie’s Resignation, You Looked At The Wrong Numbers

By Bret Stuter

Dec 7, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Jerry Colangelo (R) is introduced as special advisor to the Philadelphia 76ers during a press conference with owner Joshua Harris (M) and general manager Sam Hinkie (L) before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 7, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Jerry Colangelo (R) is introduced as special advisor to the Philadelphia 76ers during a press conference with owner Joshua Harris (M) and general manager Sam Hinkie (L) before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 7, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Jerry Colangelo (R) is introduced as special advisor to the Philadelphia 76ers during a press conference with owner Joshua Harris (M) and general manager Sam Hinkie (L) before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 7, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Jerry Colangelo (R) is introduced as special advisor to the Philadelphia 76ers during a press conference with owner Joshua Harris (M) and general manager Sam Hinkie (L) before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

The Piggy Bank Budget

The Philadelphia 76ers have practically starved themselves for the past three years, converting all excess value of the franchise into the vaults of either talented youth, draft picks, or salary cap space. To deny that the Philadelphia 76ers are robust in all three categories is a blatant act of denial.  With that austerity, the team has managed to end up at the 2016 off-season with practically all possible options open to them to improve the team.  And let’s be clear here and now, the duo of father Jerry and son Bryan Colangelo will do just that.   They could get inebriated, bring a monkey into the room, arm it with darts at their draft board, and select players from the results and improve this team  That is how rich the 76ers are in NBA draft currency this year.

But every child who has saved his or her coins with a piggy bank knows the timeline of the piggy bank budget.   You save… and save… and save… and save… and save some more.  Finally, when you have enough money, you take a hammer to your porcelain pig bank and load up on your hard earned savings.  And what happens next?  A shopping spree.

The Philadelphia 76ers will be going on that shopping spree going forward.  Shopping sprees are awfully fun in the moments leading up to them, and then in the midst is complete euphoria.  But eventually, the money will run out for this team.  Can wins be bought? Definitely yes.  Can Championships be bought?  Most evidence points to no.  Now with the father / son pair of NBA notable executives, they will be spending the NBA currency that Sam Hinkie carefully stored away.  It will be a time of euphoria in Philadelphia to be sure.  Perhaps a 30 win season in the 2016-2017 season, followed by a .500 season the following year.   But by 2017-2018, the momentum of spending draft picks, salary caps, and youthful roster will have been exhausted.   By that time, the Philadelphia 76ers will be running on deals and currency generated by the Colangelo’s actions to be.  Perhaps the team will improve further, but the team could just as likely begin the slow descent, weighted down by inflated contracts and misspent draft picks.

Next: Philadelphia 76ers Express Appreciation For Sam Hinkie

It’s easy to spend someone else’s money.  For the upcoming off-season, the team bolstered by the Colangelo connection could manage to sign a surprise free agent and even make a blockbuster trade of picks for a young veteran player.  For the upcoming off-season, the Philadelphia 76ers will be viewed as “relevant” once more.  But the wiser fans will keep an eye on the Hinkie principals, the principals that were so persuasive that the team hired Sam Hinkie to become both the team president and the general manager.  The attributes are (1) Talent Pipeline, (2) Player quality, (3) Championship style of play and (4) innovative culture.

I’m already prepared to scratch off item four from the list.   If wins is the ultimate goal, then I think the Philadelphia 76ers are on the right track.  But if winning NBA championships is the ultimate goal, then it will depend on just one simple thing.   Has Hinkie saved enough to get us to a championship win before the Colangelos spend it all?   We will find out over time.