The Sixer Sense
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What Would Wiley Sam Hinkie Do?

By Bret Stuter

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
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 /
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Dec 7, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Jerry Colangelo (R) is introduced as special advisor to the Philadelphia 76ers during a press conference with owner Joshua Harris (M) and general manager Sam Hinkie (L) before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 7, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Jerry Colangelo (R) is introduced as special advisor to the Philadelphia 76ers during a press conference with owner Joshua Harris (M) and general manager Sam Hinkie (L) before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Don’t Blame The Previous Guy

The ultimate NO NO from Sam Hinkie is simply that he would never blame it on the previous execs.

Bryan Colangelo was hired by the Philadelphia 76ers due to the recommendation of his father Jerry Colangelo.   In a position of “my father got me this job”, the worst thing to do is to flail as a crises develops and you try to toss the previous guy under the bus.

Focus must remain on you exclusively – win or lose, success or failure.

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Sam Hinkie is already destined for martyrdom by the Philadelphia 76ers fanbase.  He was a rogue, an NBA executive who dared to do the right thing for the team, and not for his career.

Not everyone embraced the arrival of Bryan Colangelo. Some preferred the cerebral strategic approach of Hinkie.  Some observed flawed history in his tenure with the Toronto Raptors. Some simply dared to challenge the executive search advertised as wide reaching but solely focusing on the son of Jerry Colangelo.

However the team arrived to this point, the Philadelphia 76ers faith has been placed upon Bryan Colangelo. Philadelphia is not big on PR. Do the deed, then tell the city about it. ‘Fess up that it’s a quagmire, and simply admit that it’s going to end up more poorly than hoped for.

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But from the moment of assuming the role of President, the right to throw up hands to the sky and proclaim that the last guy made it too difficult was waived. To run the team, an executive must assume accountability, responsibility, and outcomes.

We are not the only ones caught in auld lang syne. Hinkie’s impact to the NBA is a tale worth telling.

Owning accountability. When Sam Hinkie drafted the 13 page resignation letter, that is exactly what he did.