Colangelo becomes Chairman of Basketball Operations for 76ers

[Ichabod Drain]

Jerry Colangelo has accepted the position of Chairman of Backetball Operations for the 76ers. I think this is a great step in the right direction for the franchise and hopefully he'll bring some help and guidance to Jah along the way.

Of note, Hinkie still has the final say on matters.

http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/jerry-colangelo-joins-philadelphia-76ers

[-jk]

Is there anyone else who could navigate the Sixers out of their oblivion? He's done it before...

-jk

[BD80]

Does this start Coach K to Philly rumors?

[Atlanta Duke]

The league allegedly stepped in to try and stop the madness

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had a significant hand in Philadelphia’s decision to hire Colangelo and placed a call to Colangelo to gauge his interest, two people familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/sixers/2015/12/07/jerry-colangelo-hire-change-rebuilding-plan-sam-hinkie-76ers/76954620/

Jerry Colangelo has been appointed guardian for a front office that is not competent to manage its affairs

[Li_Duke]

The league allegedly stepped in to try and stop the madness

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had a significant hand in Philadelphia’s decision to hire Colangelo and placed a call to Colangelo to gauge his interest, two people familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/sixers/2015/12/07/jerry-colangelo-hire-change-rebuilding-plan-sam-hinkie-76ers/76954620/

Jerry Colangelo has been appointed guardian for a front office that is not competent to manage its affairs

I think it is too early to say that the Philly front office is incompetent. I met Hinkie at Sloan while he was still with Houston, and he struck me as very intelligent and capable. Hinkie was hired on the basis of his plan, which was to tank for multiple years to draft future hall of famers. The process would take multiple years and be painful, but the reward could be great. Every decision he has made has been toward that plan, and he's made some excellent moves within that framework (eg. trading Carter-Williams at his peak, fleecing Sacramento). You can blame the Philly owner for picking Hinkie and his plan when he possibly doesn't have the stomach for it. Or for picking one that would anger other owners enough for Silver to step in.

I do think one mistake Hinkie may have made was the importance of veterans in teaching and helping the development of all those young players.

[Billy Dat]

I think it is too early to say that the Philly front office is incompetent. I met Hinkie at Sloan while he was still with Houston, and he struck me as very intelligent and capable. Hinkie was hired on the basis of his plan, which was to tank for multiple years to draft future hall of famers. The process would take multiple years and be painful, but the reward could be great. Every decision he has made has been toward that plan, and he's made some excellent moves within that framework (eg. trading Carter-Williams at his peak, fleecing Sacramento). You can blame the Philly owner for picking Hinkie and his plan when he possibly doesn't have the stomach for it. Or for picking one that would anger other owners enough for Silver to step in.

I do think one mistake Hinkie may have made was the importance of veterans in teaching and helping the development of all those young players.

I am sure Adam Silver hates tanking. Asking customer to pay big money to watch a team making no attempt at all to win is hard to stomach. Jah's off the court problems were the game changer. You take a kid who seems like a bright young light for the league - charming, affable, skilled - and less than two months into the season he is getting into social media broadcast-ed street fights in the wee morning hours. That is the definition of a bad look.

It may have been David Thorpe on ESPN's TrueHoop who likened the scenario to Jurassic Park. The scientist genius didn't count on the messiness of animal behavior screwing up his perfect-on-paper plan. In that case, the dinosaur DNA mutated, or whatever. In this case, young Jah lacking mentorship and something positive to focus on starts making bad decisions (yes, an oversimplification of what may be a more complex issue).

Your final point about Hinkie is one I agree with, but also the importance for these players to win a little, to not see themselves as powerless pawns in an all out attempt to lose every game. Boston has been rebuilding the right way in my opinion, they are competitive but also loading up assets.

Hinkie is done. I can't imagine he or Brown, as they are a package, last past this offseason. Maybe i am wrong about Brown, but I think Hinkie is toast.

[Billy Dat]

Bill Simmons ‏@BillSimmons 3m3 minutes ago
Enjoying the "Colangelo is just here to help Hinkie" takes. Yea right. It's like hiring Suge Knight to "help" your struggling record label.

[Li_Duke]

I am sure Adam Silver hates tanking. Asking customer to pay big money to watch a team making no attempt at all to win is hard to stomach. Jah's off the court problems were the game changer. You take a kid who seems like a bright young light for the league - charming, affable, skilled - and less than two months into the season he is getting into social media broadcast-ed street fights in the wee morning hours. That is the definition of a bad look.

It may have been David Thorpe on ESPN's TrueHoop who likened the scenario to Jurassic Park. The scientist genius didn't count on the messiness of animal behavior screwing up his perfect-on-paper plan. In that case, the dinosaur DNA mutated, or whatever. In this case, young Jah lacking mentorship and something positive to focus on starts making bad decisions (yes, an oversimplification of what may be a more complex issue).

Your final point about Hinkie is one I agree with, but also the importance for these players to win a little, to not see themselves as powerless pawns in an all out attempt to lose every game. Boston has been rebuilding the right way in my opinion, they are competitive but also loading up assets.

Hinkie is done. I can't imagine he or Brown, as they are a package, last past this offseason. Maybe i am wrong about Brown, but I think Hinkie is toast.

I think Brown will stick. He's been a positive teaching influence and comes from the Pop tree.

[SoCalDukeFan]

Basketball is a team game. Good teams have a style of play that fits the talent on the team and players that fits their roles within the style of play. Hinkle seems to be assembling players without regard to the rest of the team or to injury factors etc. Also sometimes a little reach in the draft might be better than the consensus top picks who do not always work out. Lastly, getting a big time free agent is another way to build.

Are Noel and Oakafor complimentary? When is Embiid ever going to play? As someone earlier mentioned where is the leadership in the clubhouse? What big time free agent wants to join that mess? Won't players like Oakafor leave as soon as they can, so tanking just continues forever.

Lets look at some number 1 picks, if you tank and select Michael Olowokandi or Kwame Brown or Andrew Bogut or Andrea Bargnani or Greg Oden or Anthony Bennett to name same recent number 1 picks then you have wasted the tank job and will have to tank again.

I feel sorry for Oakafor.

i am from Philly but don't follow the 76ers that much. Originally I liked Hinkle's plan, but like it less each year. It might work if a Lebron James the 2nd came along, but I don't think thats going to happen.
Maybe they get the Euro guy next year, the LSU guy, sign a point guard, Embiid plays and plays well and works with Noel and Oakafor, then maybe it starts to work. Lots of maybes.

SoCal

[Jeffrey]

I feel sorry for Oakafor.

Young, healthy, rich, and very talented. Pity the poor guy making very foolish choices.

[Kedsy]

Basketball is a team game. Good teams have a style of play that fits the talent on the team and players that fits their roles within the style of play. Hinkle seems to be assembling players without regard to the rest of the team or to injury factors etc. Also sometimes a little reach in the draft might be better than the consensus top picks who do not always work out. Lastly, getting a big time free agent is another way to build.

Are Noel and Oakafor complimentary? When is Embiid ever going to play? As someone earlier mentioned where is the leadership in the clubhouse? What big time free agent wants to join that mess? Won't players like Oakafor leave as soon as they can, so tanking just continues forever.

Lets look at some number 1 picks, if you tank and select Michael Olowokandi or Kwame Brown or Andrew Bogut or Andrea Bargnani or Greg Oden or Anthony Bennett to name same recent number 1 picks then you have wasted the tank job and will have to tank again.

I feel sorry for Oakafor.

i am from Philly but don't follow the 76ers that much. Originally I liked Hinkle's plan, but like it less each year. It might work if a Lebron James the 2nd came along, but I don't think thats going to happen.
Maybe they get the Euro guy next year, the LSU guy, sign a point guard, Embiid plays and plays well and works with Noel and Oakafor, then maybe it starts to work. Lots of maybes.

SoCal

I still like what Hinkie is doing. Obviously, some things might not go according to plan, but in theory in the next couple of years the 76ers will have:

A frontcourt of Okafor, Noel, Embiid (has to get healthy), and Saric (has to actually sign next season). Which if it comes together would be one of the best frontcourts in the NBA.

Two top 5 picks in 2016 (assuming Lakers finish outside the bottom 3) plus two other first-round picks in 2016, plus one or possibly two additional first round picks in 2017.

Two max free agents (I beleive the 76ers are one of only two teams who can pay two max contracts next season) -- if the draft goes right and Embiid and Saric are available, then it's not such a "mess" and I think they should be able to convince two pretty good players to sign on who would want to play together and with a good young nucleus.

Stauskas, Covington, Wroten, Kendall Marshall, Jerami Grant, plus numerous upcoming second round picks to round out the bench.

Yeah, there are maybes involved, but there are always maybes if you're trying to become a top tier team. Personally, I like the team described above. It should be an exciting, potentially really good team.

[Owen Meany]

Does this start Coach K to Philly rumors?

I would be surprised if we don't hear this at some point.

Also, Coach K to take over USA basketball for Coangelo (which I would think actually would have a much greater chance of ever happening - but hopefully no time soon).

[MChambers]

I would be surprised if we don't hear this at some point.

Also, Coach K to take over USA basketball for Coangelo (which I would think actually would have a much greater chance of ever happening - but hopefully no time soon).

Time to start worrying about the impact on Duke's recruiting! :D

[Li_Duke]

I still like what Hinkie is doing. Obviously, some things might not go according to plan, but in theory in the next couple of years the 76ers will have:

A frontcourt of Okafor, Noel, Embiid (has to get healthy), and Saric (has to actually sign next season). Which if it comes together would be one of the best frontcourts in the NBA.

Two top 5 picks in 2016 (assuming Lakers finish outside the bottom 3) plus two other first-round picks in 2016, plus one or possibly two additional first round picks in 2017.

Two max free agents (I beleive the 76ers are one of only two teams who can pay two max contracts next season) -- if the draft goes right and Embiid and Saric are available, then it's not such a "mess" and I think they should be able to convince two pretty good players to sign on who would want to play together and with a good young nucleus.

Stauskas, Covington, Wroten, Kendall Marshall, Jerami Grant, plus numerous upcoming second round picks to round out the bench.

Yeah, there are maybes involved, but there are always maybes if you're trying to become a top tier team. Personally, I like the team described above. It should be an exciting, potentially really good team.

I agree with this. They are still only 2 years in. Consider:

Seattle Sonics/OkC Thunder
After a 35 win season and a 31 win season, the Sonics saw Rashard Lewis leave for Orlando in 2007. They decided to trade Ray Allen to Boston to get the 5th overall pick: Jeff Green, to pair with the 2nd pick Durant. After 2 years of tanking, they drafted Westbrook (#4), Ibaka (#24), and Harden (#4). In those years, they also had 2 other first rounders that didn't pan out.

Everyone remembers Seattle being lucky to get 4 studs (and 3 likely future Hall of Famers) out of 7 first round draft picks from 2007-2009. However, they actually had 12 1st round draft picks from 2006-2010. Jeff Green never reached his potential. Mouhamed Sene, their 2006 #10, and Cole Aldrich, their 2010 #11 never panned out. They traded Bledsoe (#18).

Cleveland Cavs
After Lebron left in 2010, they were terrible and were rewarded with 7 draft picks (3 #1s) over 4 years, which resulted in Irving, Thompson, and Love (for Wiggins and change). They also had a big free agent signing.

Golden State
After the 2007 playoffs where they famously knocked off the #1 seeded Dallas Mavericks and MVP Nowitzki, they failed to make the playoffs in 07-08, despite 48 wins. They used 6 1st round draft picks in 5 years and came away with Curry, Thompson, and Barnes (and drafted Draymond Green in the 2nd round). They also used lottery picks on Ekpe Udoh and Anthony Randolph.

The Boston Celtics tanked in multiple seasons to get the assets to build a big 3. The Miami Heats tanked to acquire draft picks (they didn't work out) and cap space. Unless you are the Spurs, you pretty much have to be bad for multiple seasons to be good again. That's what the data says. What pisses people off is not the length of Hinkie's rebuild (again, it has only been 2 years with Hinkie, and he started with Holiday, Young, Turner, and Hawes as his best players), but that he recognizes and explicitly says you have to be bad to be good again and is willing to take "bad" to extremes.

[Jeffrey]

Time to start worrying about the impact on Duke's recruiting! :D

Yep, if Coach K is planning on coaching until he's 80, then it's a logical time for him to consider the move.

[SCMatt33]

i am from Philly but don't follow the 76ers that much. Originally I liked Hinkle's plan, but like it less each year. It might work if a Lebron James the 2nd came along, but I don't think thats going to happen.
Maybe they get the Euro guy next year, the LSU guy, sign a point guard, Embiid plays and plays well and works with Noel and Oakafor, then maybe it starts to work. Lots of maybes.

SoCal

So here's my question, what the grand plan to win a title without the next LeBron? You can go back 30 years. Bird, Magic, Isaiah, MJ, Hakeem, Shaq, Duncan, Kobe, LeBron. Those guys have won 90% of them the championships since the mid 80's. You need someone of that caliber to have realistic title expectations. You can hope that a bunch of all stars, but not HoF'ers have career years like the Pistons in '04, or that the game changes around you to suddenly make your style of play more dominant like the Warriors, but the fact is, having one of the three best players in the planet is the best way to win an NBA title. The current nba rules make it so teams can't outbid others for those guys and the best way to get one in the draft is to be at the top and the best way to get to the top is to lose. Until that dynamic changes somehow, why should the sixers sign a bunch of mid level guys so that they can finish in the 7 or 8 spot and get trounced in the first round every year like they did for 8-10 years before Hinke?

The main problem with Hinke's plan is that your only increasing your odds of winning from extremely slim to very slim. At the same time you've tanked the current state of the team from meh to woeful and have nothing to show for it. Heck, it could take 20 years to find the perfect guy and you can't just tank till it happens, you'll have no franchise left to build. I think the realization has finally set in for the sixers owners just how long the actual "process" could take and the rest of the league has realized that Hinke really is willing to drag it it that long if he could and needed to.

[Li_Duke]

So here's my question, what the grand plan to win a title without the next LeBron? You can go back 30 years. Bird, Magic, Isaiah, MJ, Hakeem, Shaq, Duncan, Kobe, LeBron. Those guys have won 90% of them the championships since the mid 80's. You need someone of that caliber to have realistic title expectations. You can hope that a bunch of all stars, but not HoF'ers have career years like the Pistons in '04, or that the game changes around you to suddenly make your style of play more dominant like the Warriors, but the fact is, having one of the three best players in the planet is the best way to win an NBA title. The current nba rules make it so teams can't outbid others for those guys and the best way to get one in the draft is to be at the top and the best way to get to the top is to lose. Until that dynamic changes somehow, why should the sixers sign a bunch of mid level guys so that they can finish in the 7 or 8 spot and get trounced in the first round every year like they did for 8-10 years before Hinke?

The main problem with Hinke's plan is that your only increasing your odds of winning from extremely slim to very slim. At the same time you've tanked the current state of the team from meh to woeful and have nothing to show for it. Heck, it could take 20 years to find the perfect guy and you can't just tank till it happens, you'll have no franchise left to build. I think the realization has finally set in for the sixers owners just how long the actual "process" could take and the rest of the league has realized that Hinke really is willing to drag it it that long if he could and needed to.

Except for Shaq, every one of those guys you named played with the team they were drafted on for 9 years (and counting, Lebron is at 9). So hypothetical question, how many consecutive years are you willing to be terrible to have a serious championship contender for the next decade (and likely multiple championships).

For my home team (Wizards), I'd say about 15-20.

[SCMatt33]

Except for Shaq, every one of those guys you named played with the team they were drafted on for 9 years (and counting, Lebron is at 9). So hypothetical question, how many consecutive years are you willing to be terrible to have a serious championship contender for the next decade (and likely multiple championships).

For my home team (Wizards), I'd say about 15-20.

That's what I was hinting at with my second paragraph. Personally, I'm a pretty casual Sixers fan, so like, forever. But I spend much more time following college anyway, so my opinion on that isn't really relevant. I think the hard core fans that are left have run out of patience and if you do take decades for the process, you won't have any hard core fans left.

[SoCalDukeFan]

So here's my question, what the grand plan to win a title without the next LeBron? You can go back 30 years. Bird, Magic, Isaiah, MJ, Hakeem, Shaq, Duncan, Kobe, LeBron. Those guys have won 90% of them the championships since the mid 80's. You need someone of that caliber to have realistic title expectations. You can hope that a bunch of all stars, but not HoF'ers have career years like the Pistons in '04, or that the game changes around you to suddenly make your style of play more dominant like the Warriors, but the fact is, having one of the three best players in the planet is the best way to win an NBA title. The current nba rules make it so teams can't outbid others for those guys and the best way to get one in the draft is to be at the top and the best way to get to the top is to lose. Until that dynamic changes somehow, why should the sixers sign a bunch of mid level guys so that they can finish in the 7 or 8 spot and get trounced in the first round every year like they did for 8-10 years before Hinke?

The main problem with Hinke's plan is that your only increasing your odds of winning from extremely slim to very slim. At the same time you've tanked the current state of the team from meh to woeful and have nothing to show for it. Heck, it could take 20 years to find the perfect guy and you can't just tank till it happens, you'll have no franchise left to build. I think the realization has finally set in for the sixers owners just how long the actual "process" could take and the rest of the league has realized that Hinke really is willing to drag it it that long if he could and needed to.

Bird, Magic, Isaiah, Mj, Kobe were not the top pick in the draft.

You also have the lottery factor. Worse team when the next super star is available but you lose the lottery.

So you waste year after year.

Hinkle's plan is better than Larry Brown trading to get Andrew Bynum, but thats another story.

I do understand why Hinkle is doing this and the problem the NBA rules present. I guess I am just losing patience. Hopefully all the maybes start to come through.

SoCal

[freshmanjs]

Magic ... were not the top pick in the draft.

SoCal

really?

[SCMatt33]

Bird, Magic, Isaiah, Mj, Kobe were not the top pick in the draft.

You also have the lottery factor. Worse team when the next super star is available but you lose the lottery.

So you waste year after year.

Hinkle's plan is better than Larry Brown trading to get Andrew Bynum, but thats another story.

I do understand why Hinkle is doing this and the problem the NBA rules present. I guess I am just losing patience. Hopefully all the maybes start to come through.

SoCal

Of course there's luck factor, but most of those guys were taken near the top of the draft and the Sixers haven't yet finished with the worst record in the league so the general thought is that having a top 5 pick (where the next one of those guys is most likely to come from) is more valuable than going 40-42 and losing the first round in 5. Like I said before, you have to choose extremely slim chance vs very slim chance and very slim chance comes with such a high cost that it's no longer palateable

[SoCalDukeFan]

really?


Oops.

Would still rather see Hinkle assemble a team and hopefully get lucky in the draft

What they have now is nonsense.

[NYBri]

Yet another reason I dislike the pro game. Tanking, bad to be good cycles, the cap, personnel director's game, lack of real coaching... To me it is the big box store of sports. Has lots of stuff, but no heart and every location is more or less the same.

[SoCalDukeFan]

Young, healthy, rich, and very talented. Pity the poor guy making very foolish choices.

Oakafor certainly is in an advantageous position compared with most. As you say he has his life ahead of him, is in good health, and is paid millions. Fine.

But had he been drafted by someone else he might be on a team trying to win, and I am sure he wants to win. Moreover it might be a team with some veteran leadership that could provide some guidance.
I look back at some of the dumb things I did as a 19-20 year old and wonder how much dumber I would have been with his money.

SoCal

[Jeffrey]

I look back at some of the dumb things I did as a 19-20 year old and wonder how much dumber I would have been with his money.

SoCal

Strongly agree, which is one of the main reasons why I disagreed with almost everyone here on the prudence of Tyus going pro with a mid-20's pick/compensation package. I'd rather have my teenage son spending another year learning basketball, and, maybe more importantly, life skills from Coach K while getting a high quality education. I'll take Grant Hill's and Shane Battier's future over William Avery's, any day of the week, and strongly credit Coach K for his very substantial involvement.

Of course, Okafor had to go with a 3rd pick/compensation package, but I'd bet serious green this B.S. would not be happening in Durham, this year, if he had returned for another season with Coach K. The only way Okafor would be doing this in Durham, this year, would be if he had transferred to UNC.

[Edouble]

Of course, Okafor had to go with a 3rd pick/compensation package, but I'd bet serious green this B.S. would not be happening in Durham, this year, if he had returned for another season with Coach K. The only way Okafor would be doing this in Durham, this year, would be if he had transferred to UNC.

Are you accusing UNC of paying its players?

[jv001]

Are you accusing UNC of paying its players?

Wouldn't surprise me at all :cool: GoDuke!

[lotusland]

Basketball is a team game. Good teams have a style of play that fits the talent on the team and players that fits their roles within the style of play. Hinkle seems to be assembling players without regard to the rest of the team or to injury factors etc. Also sometimes a little reach in the draft might be better than the consensus top picks who do not always work out. Lastly, getting a big time free agent is another way to build.

Are Noel and Oakafor complimentary? When is Embiid ever going to play? As someone earlier mentioned where is the leadership in the clubhouse? What big time free agent wants to join that mess? Won't players like Oakafor leave as soon as they can, so tanking just continues forever.

Lets look at some number 1 picks, if you tank and select Michael Olowokandi or Kwame Brown or Andrew Bogut or Andrea Bargnani or Greg Oden or Anthony Bennett to name same recent number 1 picks then you have wasted the tank job and will have to tank again.

I feel sorry for Oakafor.

i am from Philly but don't follow the 76ers that much. Originally I liked Hinkle's plan, but like it less each year. It might work if a Lebron James the 2nd came along, but I don't think thats going to happen.
Maybe they get the Euro guy next year, the LSU guy, sign a point guard, Embiid plays and plays well and works with Noel and Oakafor, then maybe it starts to work. Lots of maybes.

SoCal
Isn't the idea to trade 1 or more of Okafor, Noel or Embiid assuming he's ever healthy enough to play? If you're just accumulating assets it makes sense to do so without regard to position. I'm sure the Sixers would have taken Wiggins or Parker had either been available.

[sagegrouse]

Isn't the idea to trade 1 or more of Okafor, Noel or Embiid assuming he's ever healthy enough to play? If you're just accumulating assets it makes sense to do so without regard to position. I'm sure the Sixers would have taken Wiggins or Parker had either been available.

I dunno, Lotusland. Don't assets deteriorate without use in the way they are intended? Moreover, isn't losing habit-forming? It seems to me that players need to learn how to play at an NBA level and that requires a full complement of positions. IMHO (still looking for that darned H), Jahlil needs to play with NBA talent at the guard positions.

Kindly,
Sage
'A few years ago Grant Hill was asked by a reporter what he thought of a certain team's chances of making the playoffs and advancing. "No chance. Here's their roster: ex-Clip, ex-Clip, ex-Clip," he said with no need of explanation at a time when the Clippers were woeful beyond belief -- maybe like the Sixers now'

[lotusland]

I just meant that, given the circumstances, the Sixers haven't drafted poorly. I'm sure they expected to draft Russell at number 3 but had to take Jah or make a hasty trade down while the clock was ticking. Maybe Porzingis has a career equal to Jah but I don't think, In their position, you take that gamble. Likewise, Embiid was the number 1 pick before his injury was revealed so taking him at number 3 was not a bad gamble. It's looking doubtful now but he may prove worthwhile yet. Maybe they get Simmons this year, trade Embiid for for a veteran 2-3 shooter and they're not in bad shape.

[Billy Dat]

I think Brown will stick. He's been a positive teaching influence and comes from the Pop tree.

Good call, Li_Duke, they just extended him
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14345260/philadelphia-76ers-sign-coach-brett-brown-contract-extension

[Henderson]

I still like what Hinkie is doing. Obviously, some things might not go according to plan, but in theory in the next couple of years the 76ers will have:

A frontcourt of Okafor, Noel, Embiid (has to get healthy), and Saric (has to actually sign next season). Which if it comes together would be one of the best frontcourts in the NBA.

Two top 5 picks in 2016 (assuming Lakers finish outside the bottom 3) plus two other first-round picks in 2016, plus one or possibly two additional first round picks in 2017.

Two max free agents (I beleive the 76ers are one of only two teams who can pay two max contracts next season) -- if the draft goes right and Embiid and Saric are available, then it's not such a "mess" and I think they should be able to convince two pretty good players to sign on who would want to play together and with a good young nucleus.

Stauskas, Covington, Wroten, Kendall Marshall, Jerami Grant, plus numerous upcoming second round picks to round out the bench.

Yeah, there are maybes involved, but there are always maybes if you're trying to become a top tier team. Personally, I like the team described above. It should be an exciting, potentially really good team.

Kedsy's got the winning point here. The upside potential for the Sixers is huge in the next 4 years.

You could appoint me as GM for Philly, and I'd look like a genius in terms of win-loss record improvement over the next four years. Jerry's found himself a good position.

[BD80]

Good call, Li_Duke, they just extended him
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14345260/philadelphia-76ers-sign-coach-brett-brown-contract-extension

Had to extend him to prevent speculation when they brought D'Antoni in:

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25410871/report-mike-dantoni-joins-sixers-staff-could-fit-well-with-brett-brown

[budwom]

Kedsy's got the winning point here. The upside potential for the Sixers is huge in the next 4 years.

You could appoint me as GM for Philly, and I'd look like a genius in terms of win-loss record improvement over the next four years. Jerry's found himself a good position.

Would that frontcourt be expected to actually defend anyone?

[Henderson]

Would that frontcourt be expected to actually defend anyone?

It's more likely to be better than now than worse than now.

The question isn't whether the Sixers will compete for the NBA Championship in the next few years, but whether they're likely to rise above ridiculousness. That's what got Jerry Colangelo and the league involved. Teams couldn't sell home tickets when the Sixers were in town. On that improvement metric, they're solid. Four years from now, Jerry will get a lot of credit for pre-existing personnel momentum.

[SoCalDukeFan]

I just meant that, given the circumstances, the Sixers haven't drafted poorly. I'm sure they expected to draft Russell at number 3 but had to take Jah or make a hasty trade down while the clock was ticking. Maybe Porzingis has a career equal to Jah but I don't think, In their position, you take that gamble. Likewise, Embiid was the number 1 pick before his injury was revealed so taking him at number 3 was not a bad gamble. It's looking doubtful now but he may prove worthwhile yet. Maybe they get Simmons this year, trade Embiid for for a veteran 2-3 shooter and they're not in bad shape.

I am not saying the 76ers have drafted poorly, but its shows the luck factor. You waste a year tanking and hope the lottery gives you a superstar. And if it does not, you waste another year. Embiid may never play in the NBA so I doubt if they would get much for him.

Lets change your scenario to Embiid's foot does not heal and the docs say it will never be right. Sixers lose the lottery and don't get Simmons. Then where are they? Tanking again?


SoCal

[Li_Duke]

I am not saying the 76ers have drafted poorly, but its shows the luck factor. You waste a year tanking and hope the lottery gives you a superstar. And if it does not, you waste another year. Embiid may never play in the NBA so I doubt if they would get much for him.

Lets change your scenario to Embiid's foot does not heal and the docs say it will never be right. Sixers lose the lottery and don't get Simmons. Then where are they? Tanking again?


SoCal

In that case, probably hoping Ingram becomes the next Kevin Durant with time and that they cash in with the likely loaded 2017 draft. If they don't have at least a decent team full of promising youngsters after 2017, then they were really really unlucky draft-wise.

[flyingdutchdevil]

In that case, probably hoping Ingram becomes the next Kevin Durant with time and that they cash in with the likely loaded 2017 draft. If they don't have at least a decent team full of promising youngsters after 2017, then they were really really unlucky draft-wise.

But this isn't the year to tank. With the exception of Ben Simmons, I don't see anyone who is a surefire All-Star or even a surefire 1st banana (and potentially no one who is a surefire 2nd banana). Ingram is Kevin Durant like in length and skillset, but Kevin Durant has one of the most versatile offensive games in the country (and had an elite offensive skill set at Texas).

Skal, Jaylen Brown, Ingram, Poeltl, Rabb, and Dunn are nice players and probably starters, but that's not exactly the most exciting lottery.

The 76ers and Lakers are in tank mode, but I bet they wish that this was next year's lottery and not this year's.

[SoCalDukeFan]

Here is an article from the LA Times on the Lakers - Link (http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-report-20151221-story.html).

The Lakers will probably finish with the 2nd worst record. If the don't get a top 3 pick, then they pick goes to the 76ers, who could get the 1st and say 4th pick. The Lakers would then not have a 1st round pick. I am not sure that the Lakers are tanking, just playing the best they can with Jim Buss as owner.

Can't wait for the battle between the Lakers and 76ers on New Year's Day.

SoCal