Bryan Colangelo Subscribes to The Process – So Far.

It’s still early, but the majority of major moves in the NBA are now history.  Despite claims that everything would change, Bryan Colangelo Subscribes to The Process – So Far.

In the transition from Sam Hinkie to Bryan Colangelo, much had been mentioned about “basketball minds” as justification for the move. But, in the end, it seems that wisdom has dictated closer adherence to The Process than original claims

Trust The Process. The battle cry of the fans of the Philadelphia 76ers, a cry not of lamentation or sorror, but in the belief that following an austerity program of rebuilding an NBA team with President and general manager Sam Hinkie at the helm, talent will accumulate on the team slowly and steadily, until the team will reach the critical mass of competing for an NBA championship.

The trouble is, the architect of the austerity is no longer with the Philadelphia 76ers any longer. The position of president now belongs to Bryan Colangelo.

It was touted as change in a big way. It was touted as a team with too few veterans and too many rookies. It was touted as a fundamental shift, a “normalizing” of the team’s roster as veterans are infused and rookies were traded or cut.

In the end, it was another round of “Trusting The Process” which won out. In an off-season heralded with lots of money to spend in free agency, the Philadelphia 76ers were quite austere, again. In an off-season with a commitment to crafting an older roster, there were more signings of rookies than veteran free agents. In the off-season where the team committed to trading one of their three centers, the team is entering the season right now with three centers.

TRUST THE PROCESS has become it’s own self fulfilling destiny. Much like the little engine who said he could until he did, the little and and the infamous rubber tree plant of legend, so too the Trust the Process mantra has become somewhat surreal.  It has more power than non-76er fans will ever give it credit for.   The tracks have been laid and they will run on for many more months into the future.

The struggle with the team is one of perception.   Two teams can have a poor record in the NBA – but be worlds apart in terms of actions needed to set a positive course to the future.  In most cases, NBA teams falter on failings of management decisions and must try to tramp the breaks in a pure free fall.

The Philadelphia 76ers did no such thing.  Instead, the team accelerated its own demise, as though conducting some grand professional sport “science-fiction” experiment to use a slingshot effect to load the team up with potentially very talented prospects.  Because the young players have a potential which has yet to be realized, NBA teams seek deep discounts in any transaction dialogue.

But because their potential is so impressive, the former general manager of the Phoenix Suns and Toronto Raptors realizes the damage to his career if he consents to trade away talent to excel on another team’s roster.   For now, he is shielded by the same Trust The Process as was his predecessor.

Next: Will Team USA Select Experience Aid Philadelphia 76ers?

Eventually, some NBA team will see enough of the Philadelphia center’s potential this season and make a substantial offer at the trade deadline.  Eventually, one of the offers will persuade Colangelo to break up the trio of NBA starting caliber centers accumulated by the 76ers.  Eventually one “name” free agent will take notice to what the Philadelphia 76ers are building and want to be on-board.