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Philadelphia 76ers: The Problem With Sam Hinkie’s Plan

By Gerald Bourguet

Dec 15, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Injured Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (left) talks with general manager and president Sam Hinkie (right) before a game against the Boston Celtics at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 15, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Injured Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (left) talks with general manager and president Sam Hinkie (right) before a game against the Boston Celtics at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 02, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Evan Turner (12) celebrates with forward Thaddeus Young (21) and center Lavoy Allen (50) during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers defeated the Warriors 104-97. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

The Initial Tanking Timeline

Looking back, Hinkie’s initial moves that shocked the world and dissembled a recent playoff team were nothing compared to what was coming. But at the time, trading first-time All-Star Jrue Holiday right before the 2013 NBA Draft was shocking.

To be fair, Hinkie got the better end of this deal. He acquired the New Orleans Pelicans’ 2013 draft pick and used it to pick Nerlens Noel — a guy who was pegged as a potential No. 1 selection heading into the draft — at No. 6 and got the Pellies’ 2014 first rounder as well.

Hinkie also used Philly’s own pick at No. 11 to select another “steal of the draft,” Michael Carter-Williams.

Noel wasn’t likely to play the 2013-14 season because of his ACL tear, but most people weren’t balking at the selection since he seemed to be something of a steal at No. 6. It was shocking, sure, but some saw Holiday as slightly overrated and Hinkie also did well to draft a replacement in Carter-Williams, who showed the world in his very first game that he could be for real.

However, one decent rookie doesn’t make a good team, and key rotational players like Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes and Thaddeus Young had to suffer through a tanking season … until Hinkie decided to get rid of them as well.

At the 2014 NBA trade deadline, Hinkie further wagged his finger in the league’s face by trading Turner and Lavoy Allen to the Indiana Pacers for a banged-up Danny Granger and a second-round draft pick. Granger never played for the Sixers and was bought out six days after the deal.

Philadelphia also traded away Spencer Hawes to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Earl Clark, Henry Sims and two future second-round draft picks. Clark was waived the next day, while the now 24-year-old Sims is still on the roster, most likely for his ability to put up mediocre numbers on a tanking team.

Only poor Thaddeus Young remained, having to play with a bunch of young D-Leaguers who didn’t stick around long anyway.

And yet, for all Hinkie’s best efforts, the Milwaukee Bucks’ unintentional tank job actually gave them a worse record at season’s end. The Cavaliers improbably won the No. 1 pick, Milwaukee won the second pick and the Sixers had to settle for No. 3 after a miserable season of intentionally trying to be bad.

So to recap the first season of Hinkie’s tank job: the Sixers traded away a very good starting point guard in Jrue Holiday, along with guys who could be useful role players on winning teams like Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes, and got an injured rookie center, the Rookie of the Year, one 2014 first-rounder that would eventually become pick No. 10, three second-round draft picks and the No. 3 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

That 19-63 record was hard to bear, but year one of the “rebuild” saw the Sixers acquire some nice assets and the future — far away as it might have felt — seemed bright.

Next: The Big Moment