The Sixer Sense
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Have Philadelphia 76ers Convinced Any NBA Teams To #TrustTheProcess ?

By Bret Stuter

Dec 7, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie speaks to the media during a press conference to introduce Jerry Colangelo (not pictured) as special advisor 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; Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie speaks to the media during a press conference to introduce Jerry Colangelo (not pictured) as special advisor before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Misery Loves Speedy Recovery

Few teams were as hopeless as the 2013 Philadelphia 76ers.  And those which were nearly as bad off moved quickly to ascend back to near playoff caliber.  In the 2013-2014 season, the Orlando Magic and Milwaukee Bucks struggled alongside the 76ers. The following year it was the Timberwolves, Knicks and Lakers. The next season, it was the Lakers and Nets. Finally, this season it’s the Nets, Heat, Timberwolves, Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, and Nuggets.

But in that time, teams like the Milwaukee Bucks improved to just make the playoffs by a whisker, and the following year fell below .500.  It’s NBA purgatory. The system is set up to make it very difficult to continue to improve past .500.

Challenge The System

And that’s the point where few NBA teams challenge the system.   Recover quickly, get to the playoffs, and then slowly descend once more. That is, until the front office of the Philadelphia 76ers showed a different way.

Rather than try for one or the other, this team tried both paths simultaneously.  To do so, the team began to search for undervalued talent anywhere and everywhere. Injured first round players with huge upsides, second round prospects with significant upsides, and even undrafted players who were simply raw and needed time and refinement.

And it worked often.  It simply did not deliver fast results.