I'm not underestimating anything. I said he will be involved with all decisions but he's not the "boss" of Hinkie like Hawks said. He's working from home on the other side of the country. I think you are underestimating that fact. That said, I love the hire. He's got tons of contacts, most assuredly has better relationships with agents than Hinkie, and will probably be more in the forefront so Hinkie can remain lurking in the shadows like he wants. It's a smart move by Harris.
How do you expect the plan to "deviate" today? With all that I mentioned they have coming next summer, the plan will have no choice but to "deviate" at that time. That has always been the plan. If they don't get Simmons, well you still have Saric, possibly Embiid, 3 other first round picks, tons of cap space and plenty of ability to pull of trades to become a better team in '16/'17. Keep in mind, not only do they get the Lakers pick (top 3 protected of course) but can swap with the Kings if they want due to the Stauskas trade. They've given themselves a hell of a shot at getting what they want, finally. And that would be a significant infusion of talent in one offseason.
Making some short sighted short term goal to win games this year, like I think Hawks was insinuating, would hurt those chances.
Ask me in August if they are any closer to winning. Right now it's a pointless question when they are as incomplete as they are.
so the Chairman of Basketball Operations, Adviser to the Managing Partner and an NBA Hall of Fame Executive is not the boss of the (failing) general manager?...you can't be this stubborn or dense. seriously dude come on now. just stop while you can.
and let's assume you get all 4 picks in the top 15 and add Saric and Embiid next year. that would be your top 8 players having 3 or less years in the NBA. you think a team that young is winning more than 20 games next year? Even if you make 4 solid picks (which is unlikely) you are still at least 3 years away from being even competitive let alone a contender.
of all the teams who have sucked and been in the lottery in the last 3 years is there one team you think the Sixers are better off then in the foreseeable future? Would you rather be the Lakers and have a possible top 3 pick along with their young players or the Sixers? how about the T'Wolves? or the Bucks or even the Knicks? I'll give you Brooklyn but other than that hard to think of any.
Post edited by pjhawks on
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The Juggler
Behind that bush over there. Posts: 47,446
I'm not underestimating anything. I said he will be involved with all decisions but he's not the "boss" of Hinkie like Hawks said. He's working from home on the other side of the country. I think you are underestimating that fact. That said, I love the hire. He's got tons of contacts, most assuredly has better relationships with agents than Hinkie, and will probably be more in the forefront so Hinkie can remain lurking in the shadows like he wants. It's a smart move by Harris.
How do you expect the plan to "deviate" today? With all that I mentioned they have coming next summer, the plan will have no choice but to "deviate" at that time. That has always been the plan. If they don't get Simmons, well you still have Saric, possibly Embiid, 3 other first round picks, tons of cap space and plenty of ability to pull of trades to become a better team in '16/'17. Keep in mind, not only do they get the Lakers pick (top 3 protected of course) but can swap with the Kings if they want due to the Stauskas trade. They've given themselves a hell of a shot at getting what they want, finally. And that would be a significant infusion of talent in one offseason.
Making some short sighted short term goal to win games this year, like I think Hawks was insinuating, would hurt those chances.
Ask me in August if they are any closer to winning. Right now it's a pointless question when they are as incomplete as they are.
so the Chairman of Basketball Operations, Adviser to the Managing Partner and an NBA Hall of Fame Executive is not the boss of the (failing) general manager?...you can't be this stubborn or dense. seriously dude come on now. just stop while you can.
no. the general manager has final say on everything. the chairman, and the owner they both report to, even said so. i'd think he would move to, ya' know, the city the team resides in if he wanted full control. that said, he's gonna have a lot of influence and it's great that he is involved.
i'll ask you again-- are you wanting to bring in veterans this season to help wins games now or were you more thinking about that happening in the offseason?
edit--as an aside, before taking over for montgomery as president, hall famer, pat gillick (while also living on the other side of the country) was senior advisor to a "failing" gm across the street. while not exactly the same, this is not an unprecedented kind of situation.
I'm not underestimating anything. I said he will be involved with all decisions but he's not the "boss" of Hinkie like Hawks said. He's working from home on the other side of the country. I think you are underestimating that fact. That said, I love the hire. He's got tons of contacts, most assuredly has better relationships with agents than Hinkie, and will probably be more in the forefront so Hinkie can remain lurking in the shadows like he wants. It's a smart move by Harris.
How do you expect the plan to "deviate" today? With all that I mentioned they have coming next summer, the plan will have no choice but to "deviate" at that time. That has always been the plan. If they don't get Simmons, well you still have Saric, possibly Embiid, 3 other first round picks, tons of cap space and plenty of ability to pull of trades to become a better team in '16/'17. Keep in mind, not only do they get the Lakers pick (top 3 protected of course) but can swap with the Kings if they want due to the Stauskas trade. They've given themselves a hell of a shot at getting what they want, finally. And that would be a significant infusion of talent in one offseason.
Making some short sighted short term goal to win games this year, like I think Hawks was insinuating, would hurt those chances.
Ask me in August if they are any closer to winning. Right now it's a pointless question when they are as incomplete as they are.
so the Chairman of Basketball Operations, Adviser to the Managing Partner and an NBA Hall of Fame Executive is not the boss of the (failing) general manager?...you can't be this stubborn or dense. seriously dude come on now. just stop while you can.
no. the general manager has final say on everything. the chairman, and the owner they both report to, even said so. i'd think he would move to, ya' know, the city the team resides in if he wanted full control. that said, he's gonna have a lot of influence and it's great that he is involved.
i'll ask you again-- are you wanting to bring in veterans this season to help wins games now or were you more thinking about that happening in the offseason?
edit--as an aside, before taking over for montgomery as president, hall famer, pat gillick (while also living on the other side of the country) was senior advisor to a "failing" gm across the street. while not exactly the same, this is not an unprecedented kind of situation.
go sixers.
they need veterans to teach the young pups how to play an act. i think a guy like Jameer Nelson would't necessarily win you many more games but would have done a world of good mentoring these young guys. Bringing a Jameer and another veteran like that wouldn't really hurt your chances in the lottery either. it' not like i'm saying bring in guys to get their win total to 30 but you do a few more NBA level players. they have very few at the moment.
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The Juggler
Behind that bush over there. Posts: 47,446
I'm not underestimating anything. I said he will be involved with all decisions but he's not the "boss" of Hinkie like Hawks said. He's working from home on the other side of the country. I think you are underestimating that fact. That said, I love the hire. He's got tons of contacts, most assuredly has better relationships with agents than Hinkie, and will probably be more in the forefront so Hinkie can remain lurking in the shadows like he wants. It's a smart move by Harris.
How do you expect the plan to "deviate" today? With all that I mentioned they have coming next summer, the plan will have no choice but to "deviate" at that time. That has always been the plan. If they don't get Simmons, well you still have Saric, possibly Embiid, 3 other first round picks, tons of cap space and plenty of ability to pull of trades to become a better team in '16/'17. Keep in mind, not only do they get the Lakers pick (top 3 protected of course) but can swap with the Kings if they want due to the Stauskas trade. They've given themselves a hell of a shot at getting what they want, finally. And that would be a significant infusion of talent in one offseason.
Making some short sighted short term goal to win games this year, like I think Hawks was insinuating, would hurt those chances.
Ask me in August if they are any closer to winning. Right now it's a pointless question when they are as incomplete as they are.
so the Chairman of Basketball Operations, Adviser to the Managing Partner and an NBA Hall of Fame Executive is not the boss of the (failing) general manager?...you can't be this stubborn or dense. seriously dude come on now. just stop while you can.
no. the general manager has final say on everything. the chairman, and the owner they both report to, even said so. i'd think he would move to, ya' know, the city the team resides in if he wanted full control. that said, he's gonna have a lot of influence and it's great that he is involved.
i'll ask you again-- are you wanting to bring in veterans this season to help wins games now or were you more thinking about that happening in the offseason?
edit--as an aside, before taking over for montgomery as president, hall famer, pat gillick (while also living on the other side of the country) was senior advisor to a "failing" gm across the street. while not exactly the same, this is not an unprecedented kind of situation.
go sixers.
they need veterans to teach the young pups how to play an act. i think a guy like Jameer Nelson would't necessarily win you many more games but would have done a world of good mentoring these young guys. Bringing a Jameer and another veteran like that wouldn't really hurt your chances in the lottery either. it' not like i'm saying bring in guys to get their win total to 30 but you do a few more NBA level players. they have very few at the moment.
see, I can get on board with something that as long as they don't win too much more to jeopardize their odds of getting the top pick....then you try and put together a real team with all their assets coming in the summer.
this is what i'm talking about, though. whether colangelo is here or not, that is the plan and has been the plan. sure they can tweak it along the way and colangelo will certainly make people feel more at ease with a guy of his stature in the mix. but they are at the end of this marathon. no reason to shake it up now. colangelo basically echoed this notion today anyway.
bring the juggler on board to mentor the young punks pups.
If I had known then what I know now...
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
the hinkie detractors are the same ones who are excited about the eagles being tied for 'first place'. hinkie hasn't made a bad move during his tenure. he has the team well positioned for future success. This franchise has been a rudderless mess for 30 years. This rebuild was never going to happen overnight. I really don't understand how anyone can dislike hinkie or The Process.
I really hope that hinkie isn't forced to relinquish any decision making authority. Taking away his power just puts a damper on all of the positive stuff that's happened during the last three years.
My concerns...
1 - adam silver's handprints are all over this. he already tried to screw the sixers on the lottery thing
2 - Colangelo's son becoming the GM heir apparent and hinkie being forced out (this one really makes me sick to my stomach)
3 - Hinkie having to answer to a 76 year old (who has never won an nba title). I picture Morty Seinfeld complaining to Elaine about the 'late' meetings that started at 4 PM.
4 - Josh Harris saying that he is still committed to The Process, but he wants things to move more quickly. That stance is contradictory.
I hope this hiring is a positive thing. Today I don't see how that can be the case....which is a real downer because I love everything this team has done over the last three years and how bright their future could be if they block out the 610 caller fanbase and stay the course.
Post edited by The Fixer on
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The Juggler
Behind that bush over there. Posts: 47,446
the hinkie detractors are the same ones who are excited about the eagles being tied for 'first place'. hinkie hasn't made a bad move during his tenure. he has the team well positioned for future success. This franchise has been a rudderless mess for 30 years. This rebuild was never going to happen overnight. I really don't understand how anyone can dislike hinkie or The Process.
I really hope that hinkie isn't forced to relinquish any decision making authority. Taking away his power just puts a damper on all of the positive stuff that's happened during the last three years.
My concerns...
1 - adam silver's handprints are all over this. he already tried to screw the sixers on the lottery thing
2 - Colangelo's son becoming the GM heir apparent and hinkie being forced out (this one really makes me sick to my stomach)
3 - Hinkie having to answer to a 76 year old (who has never won an nba title). I picture Morty Seinfeld complaining to Elaine about the 'late' meetings that started at 4 PM.
4 - Josh Harris saying that he is still committed to The Process, but he wants things to move more quickly. That stance is contradictory.
I hope this hiring is a positive thing. Today I don't see how that can be the case....which is a real downer because I love everything this team has done over the last three years and how bright their future could be if they block out the 610 caller fanbase and stay the course.
well if Colangelo institutes a dress code of belt less trench coats then the Sixers might really be in trouble..
Reading 2004
Albany 2006 Camden 2006 E. Rutherford 2, 2006 Inglewood 2006,
Chicago 2007
Camden 2008 MSG 2008 MSG 2008 Hartford 2008.
Seattle 2009 Seattle 2009 Philadelphia 2009,Philadelphia 2009 Philadelphia 2009
Hartford 2010 MSG 2010 MSG 2010
Toronto 2011,Toronto 2011
Wrigley Field 2013 Brooklyn 2013 Brooklyn 2013 Philadelphia 2, 2013
Philadelphia 1, 2016 Philadelphia 2 2016 New York 2016 New York 2016 Fenway 1, 2016 Fenway 2, 2018 MSG 2022 St. Paul, 1, St. Paul 2 2023
"I play good, hard-nosed basketball.
Things happen in the game. Nothing you
can do. I don't go and say,
"I'm gonna beat this guy up."
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The Juggler
Behind that bush over there. Posts: 47,446
i think this is very realistic take from one of the smartest minds covering the team--
Right now the future of the Sixers is left to a whole lot of conjecture and speculation.
Most of the speculation is that Colangelo is the strongest voice in the Sixers' decision-making process. That doesn't mean that Colangelo is ahead of Hinkie on the organizational chart, nor does it mean that Colangelo is, or ever will be, running the day-to-day operations of the franchise.
But regardless of what titles say or who does the legwork, front office decisions ultimately have to be approved by Joshua Harris, and if Harris places more faith in Colangelo's opinion than he does Hinkie's, Colangelo will effectively have more power.
Should Colangelo have authority over Hinkie, or at least have Joshua Harris' ear enough that Hinkie has to essentially get everything vetted and approved by Colangelo before it's enacted, it doesn't necessarily mean it can't work. Regardless of if Colangelo has the biggest voice in the group, it's unlikely that he, at 76 and with his commitments to USA Basketball, is going to want to do much of the hands-on, day-to-day legwork associated with being a general manager.
In that capacity, somebody like Sam Hinkie, who could be the yin to Colangelo's yang, and could bring in a perspective that Colangelo might not have. Hinkie has shown to be a shrewd negotiator in trades, has a knack for predicting, and using that to his advantage, the desires of other teams, and has an analytics background that Joshua Harris clearly values: the Sixers have an analytics focus because Harris believes in it, not because Hinkie brought it with him.
Besides the wisdom Colangelo adds to the decision-making process, he could also be the public face of the front office, allaying scrutiny from around the league and performing the public responsibilities of a general manager that Hinkie clearly does not value.
Of course, if Colangelo is in fact the strongest voice in the front office, it means that Hinkie is essentially on a performance improvement plan, and would have to prove his worth to a new boss. While it's true that Colangelo isn't likely to be, or want to be, running the day-to-day operations at 76 and remotely from Phoenix, that does not in itself guarantee Hinkie's future role with the team. Colangelo could look to bring in his own, hand-selected underling, something that has already been speculated because of the availability of his son, Bryan Colangelo, himself an unemployed two-time Executive of the Year winner.
It's worth pointing out that while Colangelo himself has said he wouldn't have joined the staff without having significant sway within the front office, and most have speculated that he is at the top of the totem pole, that Colangelo joining the front office to legitimately do as he says, which is to help Sam Hinkie guide the team back to contention, wouldn't be without precedent.
Back in the spring of 2011 the Golden State Warriors were floundering. They had losing seasons in 15 of their previous 17 seasons. They had drafted a player in Stephen Curry who showed promise, but he didn't fit, at all, with Monta Ellis, a 24 point per game scorer in his own right. The duo failed to make the Warriors immediately relevant, and Curry had just undergone surgery to repair chronic ankle problems he was playing through during the 2010-11 season, ankle problems which would require a second surgery late on during the 2011-12 season, and, some thought, put his career in jeopardy. All they had were question marks.
The Warriors responded to this disappointment by bringing in NBA-legend Jerry West into their front office to be an advisor and member of their executive board. The Warriors' front office was in disarray. They had recently hired Bob Myers, himself all of 35 years of age at the time, to be assistant general manager and heir apparent to beleaguered general manager Larry Riley. Now, with the addition of Jerry West, it left many wondering who would ultimately have final say in the decision-making process: the recently-hired legend (West) or the young and inexperienced prodigy (Myers).
It turns out, to the surprise of many, West truly was hired to be just an advisor to help Myers learn what he didn't know, to provide him the wisdom that only age and experience could instill. The ship that Myers has guided to historical level was, in fact, Myers' ship to captain.
So while the assumption, which may certainly have validity to it, and certainly is a logical assumption to make, is that Colangelo is the strongest voice in the Sixers' front office, it's worth at least seeing how this ultimately plays out.
The real concern is whether Colangelo brings with him an impatience that the Sixers front office has otherwise not shown. More specifically, it's the reason why Colangelo was hired now that would imply the impatience is setting in.
In truth, the summer of 2016 could have always been the summer the Sixers proceeded forward. The accumulation of assets was always intended to eventually be pushed to the center and traded in for talent, whether that be through the draft itself or in a blockbuster trade like Hinkie and the Rockets pulled off to acquire James Harden. With the potential to have four first round draft picks, 2 of which could be top-5 selections in the draft, the potential additions of Joel Embiid and Dario Saric, and the continued development of Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor, 2016 was always a pivotal moment for this franchise.
In that case, having Colangelo's experience is certainly a positive. There is almost no doubt he would help the Sixers execute this phase of the rebuild.
Colangelo coming in and making sweeping changes to the team overnight is not realistic. Some of the periphery tactics Hinkie has used might change, like using roster spots as open tryouts, using cap space to facilitate trades to acquire more cap space, and minimizing the presence of veterans, but the Sixers are far too deep into this rebuild to abruptly change course, at least this season.
The real concern is what happens if the Sixers bad luck continues? What happens if Joel Embiid can't get healthy, or if the Lakers pick doesn't convey, and the Sixers don't get lottery luck next may? Will the Sixers "push the go button" when they don't yet have that can't-miss prospect they've been searching for? Are they frustrated to the point where they will do what they have vowed not to, which, as Brett Brown has frequently described, is to become pregnant with average players?
Those are all valid concerns, but concerns we'll have to wait and see how this plays out. Assuming a mistake, or a level of impatience that could provoke mistakes, is putting the cart before the horse. Right now, the only thing that is certain for Sixers fans is that they have added another smart basketball mind to their front office who carries with him invaluable experience.
how about those rumors that Harris is looking to sell to try an buy and nfl team (and possibly have them in London)? as i said...
Probably same source as the one saying they are moving to Newark...despite the team building a state of the art practice facility in Camden. I think both those rumors came from Forbes. It would be funny to see Harris sell to Colangelo and his partners, have them luck out and get Simmons, take advantage of all the assets coming this summer and then win a championship or two in the next 5 years enjoying all the spoils of Hinkie's and Harris' dirty work.
Nice to see them extend brown for 2 more year. Gotta see this through.
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The Juggler
Behind that bush over there. Posts: 47,446
"We've been on a path to build something special. We're planting seeds to have an orchard. Some would have us go out and buy apples. But we want to build the whole orchard." - Hinkie, Sam
the hinkie detractors are the same ones who are excited about the eagles being tied for 'first place'. .
this statement simply could not be any further from reality.
Even when you agree, you don't agree
well, one of us is usually right and the other of us is usually wrong. so we don't agree very often
Ha More like one of is rational and one is clearly not. We do see eye to eye on this though, for the most part.
And Hawks--doesn't matter at this point if they have guys who play same position/guys aren't perfect fits with each other. At this stage it's still all about finding that ONE guy....then you figure everything else out.
the hinkie detractors are the same ones who are excited about the eagles being tied for 'first place'. .
this statement simply could not be any further from reality.
Even when you agree, you don't agree
well, one of us is usually right and the other of us is usually wrong. so we don't agree very often
Ha More like one of is rational and one is clearly not. We do see eye to eye on this though, for the most part.
Your history on judging the sixers moves is pretty horrid. Same with phillies moves. and eagles moves. I will just leave it at that. youre the best pom pom waver around though.
merry christmas
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The Juggler
Behind that bush over there. Posts: 47,446
the hinkie detractors are the same ones who are excited about the eagles being tied for 'first place'. .
this statement simply could not be any further from reality.
Even when you agree, you don't agree
well, one of us is usually right and the other of us is usually wrong. so we don't agree very often
Ha More like one of is rational and one is clearly not. We do see eye to eye on this though, for the most part.
Your history on judging the sixers moves is pretty horrid. Same with phillies moves. and eagles moves. I will just leave it at that. youre the best pom pom waver around though.
merry christmas
Thing is, everyone here is well aware your actual history that I don't even have to reference it anymore. But it's always funny to see you dredge this nonsense up (literally every time you make a post, which is odd)
Same to you!
Post edited by The Juggler on
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The Juggler
Behind that bush over there. Posts: 47,446
Should never have let ISH walk last summer. Nerlens' game improved greatly after MCW was traded and ISH was given playing time. Guess they figured they have potentially 4 first rounders and Saric and Embiid so they could afford giving up a little too much to make up for the initial mistake. I believe they have 3 2nds in '18, '19 and '20 too.
Hopefully he doesn't improve them too much this year, though. Luckily the Lakers have a 4 game cushion at this point.
Comments
and let's assume you get all 4 picks in the top 15 and add Saric and Embiid next year. that would be your top 8 players having 3 or less years in the NBA. you think a team that young is winning more than 20 games next year? Even if you make 4 solid picks (which is unlikely) you are still at least 3 years away from being even competitive let alone a contender.
of all the teams who have sucked and been in the lottery in the last 3 years is there one team you think the Sixers are better off then in the foreseeable future? Would you rather be the Lakers and have a possible top 3 pick along with their young players or the Sixers? how about the T'Wolves? or the Bucks or even the Knicks? I'll give you Brooklyn but other than that hard to think of any.
i'll ask you again-- are you wanting to bring in veterans this season to help wins games now or were you more thinking about that happening in the offseason?
edit--as an aside, before taking over for montgomery as president, hall famer, pat gillick (while also living on the other side of the country) was senior advisor to a "failing" gm across the street. while not exactly the same, this is not an unprecedented kind of situation.
go sixers.
8/28/98- Camden, NJ
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly
this is what i'm talking about, though. whether colangelo is here or not, that is the plan and has been the plan. sure they can tweak it along the way and colangelo will certainly make people feel more at ease with a guy of his stature in the mix. but they are at the end of this marathon. no reason to shake it up now. colangelo basically echoed this notion today anyway.
punkspups.Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
the hinkie detractors are the same ones who are excited about the eagles being tied for 'first place'. hinkie hasn't made a bad move during his tenure. he has the team well positioned for future success. This franchise has been a rudderless mess for 30 years. This rebuild was never going to happen overnight. I really don't understand how anyone can dislike hinkie or The Process.
I really hope that hinkie isn't forced to relinquish any decision making authority. Taking away his power just puts a damper on all of the positive stuff that's happened during the last three years.
My concerns...
1 - adam silver's handprints are all over this. he already tried to screw the sixers on the lottery thing
2 - Colangelo's son becoming the GM heir apparent and hinkie being forced out (this one really makes me sick to my stomach)
3 - Hinkie having to answer to a 76 year old (who has never won an nba title). I picture Morty Seinfeld complaining to Elaine about the 'late' meetings that started at 4 PM.
4 - Josh Harris saying that he is still committed to The Process, but he wants things to move more quickly. That stance is contradictory.
I hope this hiring is a positive thing. Today I don't see how that can be the case....which is a real downer because I love everything this team has done over the last three years and how bright their future could be if they block out the 610 caller fanbase and stay the course.
Albany 2006 Camden 2006 E. Rutherford 2, 2006 Inglewood 2006,
Chicago 2007
Camden 2008 MSG 2008 MSG 2008 Hartford 2008.
Seattle 2009 Seattle 2009 Philadelphia 2009,Philadelphia 2009 Philadelphia 2009
Hartford 2010 MSG 2010 MSG 2010
Toronto 2011,Toronto 2011
Wrigley Field 2013 Brooklyn 2013 Brooklyn 2013 Philadelphia 2, 2013
Philadelphia 1, 2016 Philadelphia 2 2016 New York 2016 New York 2016 Fenway 1, 2016
Fenway 2, 2018
MSG 2022
St. Paul, 1, St. Paul 2 2023
"I play good, hard-nosed basketball.
Things happen in the game. Nothing you
can do. I don't go and say,
"I'm gonna beat this guy up."
http://www.phillymag.com/news/2015/12/10/76ers-likes-and-dislikes-jerry-colangelo/
What This Means for the Sixers Going Forward?
Right now the future of the Sixers is left to a whole lot of conjecture and speculation.
Most of the speculation is that Colangelo is the strongest voice in the Sixers' decision-making process. That doesn't mean that Colangelo is ahead of Hinkie on the organizational chart, nor does it mean that Colangelo is, or ever will be, running the day-to-day operations of the franchise.
But regardless of what titles say or who does the legwork, front office decisions ultimately have to be approved by Joshua Harris, and if Harris places more faith in Colangelo's opinion than he does Hinkie's, Colangelo will effectively have more power.
Should Colangelo have authority over Hinkie, or at least have Joshua Harris' ear enough that Hinkie has to essentially get everything vetted and approved by Colangelo before it's enacted, it doesn't necessarily mean it can't work. Regardless of if Colangelo has the biggest voice in the group, it's unlikely that he, at 76 and with his commitments to USA Basketball, is going to want to do much of the hands-on, day-to-day legwork associated with being a general manager.
In that capacity, somebody like Sam Hinkie, who could be the yin to Colangelo's yang, and could bring in a perspective that Colangelo might not have. Hinkie has shown to be a shrewd negotiator in trades, has a knack for predicting, and using that to his advantage, the desires of other teams, and has an analytics background that Joshua Harris clearly values: the Sixers have an analytics focus because Harris believes in it, not because Hinkie brought it with him.
Besides the wisdom Colangelo adds to the decision-making process, he could also be the public face of the front office, allaying scrutiny from around the league and performing the public responsibilities of a general manager that Hinkie clearly does not value.
Of course, if Colangelo is in fact the strongest voice in the front office, it means that Hinkie is essentially on a performance improvement plan, and would have to prove his worth to a new boss. While it's true that Colangelo isn't likely to be, or want to be, running the day-to-day operations at 76 and remotely from Phoenix, that does not in itself guarantee Hinkie's future role with the team. Colangelo could look to bring in his own, hand-selected underling, something that has already been speculated because of the availability of his son, Bryan Colangelo, himself an unemployed two-time Executive of the Year winner.
It's worth pointing out that while Colangelo himself has said he wouldn't have joined the staff without having significant sway within the front office, and most have speculated that he is at the top of the totem pole, that Colangelo joining the front office to legitimately do as he says, which is to help Sam Hinkie guide the team back to contention, wouldn't be without precedent.
Back in the spring of 2011 the Golden State Warriors were floundering. They had losing seasons in 15 of their previous 17 seasons. They had drafted a player in Stephen Curry who showed promise, but he didn't fit, at all, with Monta Ellis, a 24 point per game scorer in his own right. The duo failed to make the Warriors immediately relevant, and Curry had just undergone surgery to repair chronic ankle problems he was playing through during the 2010-11 season, ankle problems which would require a second surgery late on during the 2011-12 season, and, some thought, put his career in jeopardy. All they had were question marks.
The Warriors responded to this disappointment by bringing in NBA-legend Jerry West into their front office to be an advisor and member of their executive board. The Warriors' front office was in disarray. They had recently hired Bob Myers, himself all of 35 years of age at the time, to be assistant general manager and heir apparent to beleaguered general manager Larry Riley. Now, with the addition of Jerry West, it left many wondering who would ultimately have final say in the decision-making process: the recently-hired legend (West) or the young and inexperienced prodigy (Myers).
It turns out, to the surprise of many, West truly was hired to be just an advisor to help Myers learn what he didn't know, to provide him the wisdom that only age and experience could instill. The ship that Myers has guided to historical level was, in fact, Myers' ship to captain.
So while the assumption, which may certainly have validity to it, and certainly is a logical assumption to make, is that Colangelo is the strongest voice in the Sixers' front office, it's worth at least seeing how this ultimately plays out.
The real concern is whether Colangelo brings with him an impatience that the Sixers front office has otherwise not shown. More specifically, it's the reason why Colangelo was hired now that would imply the impatience is setting in.
In truth, the summer of 2016 could have always been the summer the Sixers proceeded forward. The accumulation of assets was always intended to eventually be pushed to the center and traded in for talent, whether that be through the draft itself or in a blockbuster trade like Hinkie and the Rockets pulled off to acquire James Harden. With the potential to have four first round draft picks, 2 of which could be top-5 selections in the draft, the potential additions of Joel Embiid and Dario Saric, and the continued development of Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor, 2016 was always a pivotal moment for this franchise.
In that case, having Colangelo's experience is certainly a positive. There is almost no doubt he would help the Sixers execute this phase of the rebuild.
Colangelo coming in and making sweeping changes to the team overnight is not realistic. Some of the periphery tactics Hinkie has used might change, like using roster spots as open tryouts, using cap space to facilitate trades to acquire more cap space, and minimizing the presence of veterans, but the Sixers are far too deep into this rebuild to abruptly change course, at least this season.
The real concern is what happens if the Sixers bad luck continues? What happens if Joel Embiid can't get healthy, or if the Lakers pick doesn't convey, and the Sixers don't get lottery luck next may? Will the Sixers "push the go button" when they don't yet have that can't-miss prospect they've been searching for? Are they frustrated to the point where they will do what they have vowed not to, which, as Brett Brown has frequently described, is to become pregnant with average players?
Those are all valid concerns, but concerns we'll have to wait and see how this plays out. Assuming a mistake, or a level of impatience that could provoke mistakes, is putting the cart before the horse. Right now, the only thing that is certain for Sixers fans is that they have added another smart basketball mind to their front office who carries with him invaluable experience.
That, by itself, is a positive.
Nice to see them extend brown for 2 more year. Gotta see this through.
http://www.libertyballers.com/2015/12/11/9915478/sam-hinkie-talks-with-zach-lowe-about-the-future-of-the-process
"We've been on a path to build something special. We're planting seeds to have an orchard. Some would have us go out and buy apples. But we want to build the whole orchard." - Hinkie, Sam
http://collegespun.com/big-12/kansas/photo-former-kansas-star-joel-embiid-is-absolutely-jacked-now
Nice to see he's not lying around playing video games and getting fat though.
Tom O.
"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"
-The Writer
More like one of is rational and one is clearly not. We do see eye to eye on this though, for the most part.
And Hawks--doesn't matter at this point if they have guys who play same position/guys aren't perfect fits with each other. At this stage it's still all about finding that ONE guy....then you figure everything else out.
merry christmas
Same to you!
Hopefully he doesn't improve them too much this year, though. Luckily the Lakers have a 4 game cushion at this point.
8/28/98- Camden, NJ
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