Ben Simmons Is A Perfect Compliment to Jahlil Okafor

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Feb 10, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie prior to a game against the Sacramento Kings at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Beating the Odds

Former 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie accepted the probability of failure, respected it, and even embraced it. Many interpreted his efforts incorrectly in the concept of the moment, the “now” aspect. Sam Hinkie was never about the now.

He accurately described himself as the man with the future looking responsibility. We know that as he prepared for the 2015 NBA Draft, he learned that Joel Embiid would need a second surgery on his foot, and that a second year of rehabilitation would likely be needed.

Knowing that, he selected center Jahlil Okafor in that draft.

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But compare that strategy to that of the NBA Draft? Sam Hinkie was never content to rely on the odds of a single draft pick, wherever and whenever possible, he tried to reinforce the odds of success by gaining the rights to swap draft picks with that of another team.

So too, he was faced with a situation he could not control. He faced a chance that center Joel Embiid would be unable to recover from surgery and wanted to ensure that the team would have a solid offensive option as a fall back position.

But Hinkie knew more basketball than many critics gave him credit for. He began his NBA days at Houston, and understood full well the history of Ralph Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon. He also understood enough about Jahlil Okafor and Joel Embiid’s games to understand that, if both proved to be healthy, they could be a compatible pairing on the basketball court.

He had no way of anticipating the arrival of Ben Simmons in the 2016 NBA Draft, but he already has a similar skill-set player waiting in the wings in Dario Saric.

Next: A First Noel