So the only person who didn't "trust the process" in Philly is....

Sam Hinkie. He is reported to have stepped down as GM.

 

No more extreme tanking?! The conspiracy theorist in me worries the NBA promised Philly the #1 pick in the lottery if they stop the tanking.........

 

Regardless of what they say, I think ownership was trying to slowly muscle him out. Putting in another voice at his "level" to start, then that other voice gets 60% of decision making...70%...so on and so forth. They knew he wouldn't stick around for this.

And then they go and hire Colangelo. Going from intentionally tanking to unintentionally tanking. LOL.

 

QFT. I hate the NBA draft "lottery", i'm 100% sure it's rigged.

 

And probably the 4th pick too as a reward.

 

It would be disgraceful to reward the 76ers with potentially the 1st pick and...possibly (gasp) the 4th pick from the Lakers, for they ruined the spirit of the game from years of extreme tanking.

Having said that, it does seem the league has a history of rewarding incompetence/crybabies (Cleveland, New Orleans, Clippers from the 90s to 2000s....)

But wow, if the 76ers do get rewarded at the draft in that fashion, they may be fast tracked into being very good in the near future. I mean can you imagine their lineup if they take Ingram or Simmons at #1 and Buddy Hield at #4. With rumors of Embiid finally looking ready to play and the team wanting to trade Jahlil Okafor (which they can probably get a good, young, starting caliber point guard for...i.e. I think Boston says yes to Okafor for Marcus Smart and other pieces or Atlanta says yes to Jeff Teague sign and trade for Okafor).

Teague/Ish Smith
Hield/Stauskas
Ingram/Covington
Saric
Noel/Embiid

With cap space to fill out the roster with capable, veteran role players and all of a sudden the 76ers look like they are on their way to be good for a long time...

 

I don't think they'll get rewarded. The NBA supposably wants to end tanking well what good does it do to reward Philly then? Doesn't make sense even with a change in ownership. It came in freaking April. Once change when the season is basically over already shouldn't warrant getting a pick.

 

I doubt it. They may love the Colangelos, but still it took them the whole damn year to make that move. People around the NBA aren't stupid. If the Sixers are rewarded with that pick there is gonna be a huge uproar.

 

I will. I still think the spurs dynasty was built on their tank job that netted Duncan. it bothers me some.

the irony with the (imo, stupid) hinkie backlash is that the pro-hinkie argument--"if they get more picks, he was right!" is precisely what that argument is supposed to be against.

that's not clear phrasing. as hinkie inanely put forth in his manifesto, he believes you can make the right choices and get the wrong results. I totally buy this. I actually think the lakers FO (aside from coaching) has made a lot of good choices that just went bad from external forces.

however, the opposite is also true: you can use a d****** strategy and find success. nothing justifies the kind of losing that hinkie tacitly endorsed for the past three years. they've built nothing in terms of an organizational identity--other than lip service to values and such. it's quite obvious that he's a morey disciple, and neither one of them really gets it. what makes it worse is that both truly believe they're the only ones who do.

tldr: it doesn't matter if they walk away with the 1 and 4 picks by luck of the draw, the idea was still stupid and shameful. that's why he quit. the verdict was already in.

 

I disagree. the lakers have been trying to improve. they've added veteran players and attempted to sign several impact FAs. in parallel to the discussion above, trying and failing is different than not trying and failing just the same.

 

Signing b0ron should be more than enough evidence to support "pro tanking" claims.

 

I actually do thing the Lakers going into this season at least attempted to not tank by making the Hibbert and Lou Williams offseason acquisitions.

If Sam Hinkie were the Lakers GM, that would have never happened. Instead of Hibbert and Lou, we would have got Jimmer Fredette and let Sacre start at center.