The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Sam Hinkie Understood Joel Embiid Held Team Future

By Bret Stuter

Oct 8, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie (R) talks with chief executive officer Scott O
Oct 8, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie (R) talks with chief executive officer Scott O /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 5
Next
Jul 12, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Ben Simmons (25) dribbles the ball during an NBA Summer League game against the Golden State Warriors at Thomas & Mack Center. Golden State won the game 85-77. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 12, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Ben Simmons (25) dribbles the ball during an NBA Summer League game against the Golden State Warriors at Thomas & Mack Center. Golden State won the game 85-77. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /

Rest Of The Story

A typical NBA team earns one first round and one second round draft pick each year.  That trickle of talent is designed to help NBA teams churn through retiring or disappointing veterans, and add new prospects.   The better the team, the less promising slot in the draft.  The odds for landing a top pick is not good even for the worst team in the NBA (just 25%), and finding a franchise player is even less likely.

More from Sixers News

So Sam Hinkie upped the odds.  Not by “tanking” as so many believe, but by delaying immediate rewards to earn bigger rewards in the future.  For the foreseeable NBA drafts, the Philadelphia 76ers will be selecting an average of four picks per season.  In 2017, the team added two second round picks to join two first round picks by trading Kendall Marshall.   On top of this, the team even added a 2020 first round pick (top 20 protected) of the Oklahoma City Thunder by trading Jerami Grant for Ersan Ilyasova.

Picks do not add to the team, but add to the probability of the team.  But picks become prospects, and prospects become NBA players.  Right now, the Philadelphia 76ers are building a team from youth and potential.  To do so, the team built a state of the art training center in Camden New Jersey.  But to tie the young team into the community, the Philadelphia 76ers co-located innovation labs in the center as well.

Now, as the team grows, so will the community.

Next: Whiteside Praises Philly Fans' Love For Embiid

It all started when an risk-taker found the long-shot sure thing.  Hinkie knew Joel Embiid would deliver. Thankfully, Hinkie was always keeping an eye on the future.