4. The Jimmy Butler trade
The following is the oft-quoted excerpt from
our lord and savior
former GM Sam Hinkie’s 2016 resignation letter:
"Specifically, we set out to maximize the odds of acquiring star players using all three available methods of acquiring players (draft, free agency, and trade). 1. Draft: invest in the deepest pool of star players — young players via the NBA Draft. 2. Free Agency: maintain financial flexibility to assume contract liabilities of other teams to acquire picks and prospects and move quickly toward special opportunities in signings/trade. 3. Trade: gather attractive, improving players to (best case) develop to win games for the Sixers, or (worst case) trade for better players or players likely to improve at a faster rate."
Even the most casual of NBA fans know the Sixers have lived and died by the draft. It’s a hallmark of the Process. It’s given us Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. It’s the source of this team’s championship-caliber foundation. Of course you can’t forget that it’s also given us Jahlil Okafor and Michael Carter-Williams, but that’s what the beauty of the draft during the Process was. It’s not knowing whether or not you’re going to hit or miss any given year.
The draft probably gets brought up the most during discussions pertaining to that era. But it wasn’t the only thing that got the Sixers to where they are right now.
Trades were as much a part of the Process as the draft was. One could argue they had as much if not more importance. Sam Hinkie had a hand in 27 transactions during his tenure, which included stocking up assets — chief among them draft picks, trading away bad contracts, and acquiring under-appreciated talent (a la Robert Covington).
But despite all that, up until a month and a half ago, the Sixers had yet to fulfill Hinkie’s true goal of acquiring a true, legitimate star. The Sixers had already wound up with stars through the draft, but they still hadn’t found a way to lure one through either trade or free agency.
Then, on my birthday of all days, I get this alert:
Minnesota has agreed to a deal to send Jimmy Butler to Philadelphia for a package that includes Robert Covington and Dario Saric, league sources tell @ZachLowe_NBA and me.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 10, 2018
I, like most, first reacted with some hesitation and skepticism upon hearing the news, given Jimmy’s recent history as allegedly being a bad apple in the locker room. I also think a lot of the initial negative reaction was due to the fact that it was Dario and Robert who were shipped out as a result. It’s always tough to say goodbye to two players you had the chance to watch grow and develop.
But the more you started to process it, the more you began to absolutely love the deal. The Sixers finally got their third star, and it couldn’t have been a better fit for this city in particular.