The Sixer Sense
Fansided

The Inevitable Martyrdom Of Sam Hinkie

By Bret Stuter

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
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 /
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Oct 20, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Philadelphia 76ers power forward Arnett Moultrie (5) shoots against the Brooklyn Nets during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 20, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Philadelphia 76ers power forward Arnett Moultrie (5) shoots against the Brooklyn Nets during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

Buried Alive

After a year of the conventional NBA methods, the team had dug a hole for itself, jumped in, and then pulled the earth in on top of itself.  You see, the team had committed to a four team trade in the hopes of bringing one of the NBA elite centers to the Philadelphia 76ers in Andrew Bynum, and in the process surrendered arguably the best defensive wing player in the NBA in Andre Iguodala, and their first round pick this year in Moe Harkless and last year’s in Nikola Vucevic. The team hoped that by moving Iguodala, it would give Evan Turner and Jrue Holiday the chance to grow .  The Sixers also surrendered their first round pick – a lottery protected for two years, top 11 protected in year three, top 8 protected in year four, eventually converting to two second round picks in 2016.

The team also traded a first and second round draft pick to the Miami Heat for Arnette Moultrie.  Moultrie and Bynum were to pair up and run the post game for the Sixers.

Bynum never suited up.  Moultrie didn’t deliver when he did.  In the process, the team spent a lot of draft picks and hard currency to have one of the most accomplished benches in the NBA.  In 2013, the NBA salary cap space was set at $58 Million, but the team committed to $65 Million.

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No salary space.  No draft picks.  No young players.  Lots of veteran players, some who simply could not deliver, while others were good enough to carry the team for a couple dozen wins, just enough to embed the team in the middle of the NBA draft.  The team was stuck in one of the worst places in the NBA – hopelessness.

But, the team was “politically correct”.  The team had severe limits to the draft options going forward.  The team had no salary cap space to deal any free agents.  And the team had some good players, who were just good enough to keep the team in that 20-40 win range, but never good enough to threaten for a playoff appearance.  The fan-base understood the situation, and for a lucid moment in time, the ownership consortium seemed to have a good grasp of the situation as well.  The team had to make tough choices.   The system of the NBA is set up to give a little, and take a little.

You fail to win games? You get a lottery pick with odds ranging based on the depths of your season’s futility. You win some games?  Great.  But now your players will demand more money and your lottery chances decline.  Once an NBA team spirals down, there is little more to do than fight to remain semi-bad. Pay good players, keep drafting to hope to replace good players.

Next: Lazarus