Boom Boom, Out Go The Lights!
That bomb’s timer was already ticking. It began to tick from the moment Colangelo arrived and broadcast the message that the team needed to move out of three centers before the 2016-2017 season.
"“I don’t know that there’s a likelihood,” Colangelo said. “I can’t put a number on it. I would just simply tell you that there’s been conversations and there’s been a lot of interest expressed in some of the players that we have, but nothing that’s made enough sense to pull the trigger on. We’ve talked about the five position in particular.”-Colangelo discussing the 76ers’ center issue in June 2016"
Bryan Colangelo knew he had valuable assets that are quite precious to the team. NBA teams knew that Bryan Colangelo would run out of time. So the NBA low-balled offers to the Philadelphia 76ers new president.
Bryan Colangelo: "I don't think we've been at a point where we could actively pursue a trade with any of the centers." #sixers
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) December 19, 2016
In the end, Bryan Colangelo declared the Philadelphia 76ers to be on the fast track to building a champion, but took slow strides himself. The variable in the equation was once thought to be the dependability of Joel Embiid.
But Embiid arrived, and has been the shining star of this franchise. That star rose under the care of Sam Hinkie. But that has been pushed to the rear view mirror, along with the entire “rebuilding” concept.