End Of The Sam Hinkie Era Is Finally Here
Start writing a post
Sports

End Of The Sam Hinkie Era Is Finally Here

Why Sixers fans should be ecstatic about Sam Hinkie's departure

32
End Of The Sam Hinkie Era Is Finally Here

This past week may have been the greatest in Philadelphia basketball history. First, on Monday, the Villanova Wildcats beat the North Carolina Tar Heels for the Division 1 men’s basketball title on an incredible buzzer beater. This was followed by the incredible news on Wednesday that Sam Hinkie, the general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers, was resigning -- effective immediately.

Hinkie announced his resignation in a 13-page letter addressed to the team owners. The letter was incredibly asinine, and the best parts can be found here. Hinkie’s resignation is the best thing to happen to the 76ers franchise since they drafted Allen Iverson all the way back in 1996. Pinkie transformed the 76ers from a mediocre team to a punchline. The team has won 47 games since Hinkie was promoted to GM. Some of Hinkie’s highlights as GM include: trading All Star Jrue Holiday for a draft pick that was used to pick the astonishingly average Nerlens Noel, drafting and then trading away Micheal Carter-Williams (who was born without the ability to shoot a jumper), trading Evan Turner, Thaddeus Young, and Spencer Hawes for a number of second round picks (which, in the NBA, are about as valuable as a seventh round pick in the NFL), and then drafting the notoriously fragile and immature Joel Embiid in 2014.

In the 2014 draft, Hinkie also drafted Dario Šaric, a young, talented, European player who then refused to come to the United States to play for a team as awful as the Sixers. Hinkie made no effort to field a competitive team and in the process completely alienated the Sixers from the rest of the league. No player wanted to be a Sixer. Playing for the Sixers guaranteed that you fail.

The current Sixers roster features the likes of Ish Smith (a journeyman Point Guard), Carl Landry (who barely even made his High School team’s roster), and 37 year-old former All Star Elton Brand. This team, incredibly, has won 10 games this season. Hinkie’s personnel moves are easy to criticize, but the really aggravating thing about Hinkie’s tenure was that he actually made people believe his “system” would work. Hinkie’s long term plan for the Sixers was to lose as many games as possible in order to receive high draft picks. On top of this, Hinkie’s plan also included the boneheaded decision to spend virtually no money in the free agent market or resign players to the team.

Again, it is actually incredible that Hinkie’s teams were able to win any games. Hinkie’s tanking system has not only resulted in a ton of losses, but it also severely hindered the development of young players. Hinkie forced young, inexperienced, players into starting roles and let them fail miserably. Players like Nerlens Noel, Nik Stauskas, Jerami Grant, and Jah Okafor are set up to fail. These players have literally no confidence as a result. They go out every night and play hard against teams that are simply far more talented. They get blown out and are told it’s part of a process. It’s unfair to the players and fans and the NBA as a whole to put these players out there with no help at all. Hinkie actually thought he was outsmarting the NBA by carrying out his “system.” In his 13-page resignation letter, Hinkie defended his system in the most idiotic way possible

“Jeff Bezos says that if Amazon has a good quarter it’s because of work they did three, four, five years ago -- not because they did a good job that quarter. Today’s league-leading Golden State Warriors acquired Draymond Green, Andrew Bogut, and Klay Thompson almost four years ago. -- nearly four years ago, exactly, and almost 5 years ago. In this league, the long view picks at the lock of mediocrity.”

Hinkie actually compared the Philadelphia 76ers, a team that has won 47 games since 2013, to the world champion Golden State Warriors, a team that has 70 wins this season alone. Is he that delusional? Does he actually think any player that he acquired over the past three years will ever be as good as Draymond Green or Klay Thompson? Sam Hinkie is an incredibly smart person there’s no doubt about it. He graduated from Stanford’s School of Business and has given presentations at Harvard, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania. He’s not only smart, he’s a genius. When it comes to managing a team, however, Hinkie is an absolute moron. He has destroyed the Sixers franchise. Every Sixers fan, every NBA fan, should be absolutely elated about Hinkie’s resignation. The Sixers can finally work on getting better instead of continuing to fail. A wise man once said, “If you find yourself in a hole, the very best thing you can do is stop digging.” Sam Hinkie simply could not stop digging.

Hang in there, Sixers fans, tomorrow is another day closer to the NBA draft. Keep your fingers crossed for Ben Simmons to save this franchise.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

87772
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

54152
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments