You Say Goodbye, I Say Hello

By Sean Kennedy (@PhillyFastBreak)

The Process lives! For the second year in a row, it seemed like the Philadelphia hadn’t made a move by the 3:00pm NBA trade deadline. Then, although it wouldn’t be an earth-shattering move like shipping out Michael Carter-Williams, official word came in after the bell that the Sixers had once again made a transaction at the 25th hour.

This time, Sam Hinkie and Daryl Morey got together for old time’s sake, as the Sixers were involved in what was a three-way trade between the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets. For Philadelphia’s part, they receive Joel Anthony and Denver’s 2017 second-round pick (via Houston). In exchange, the team sent out the rights to Chukwudiebere Maduabum. Although he was affectionately known as Chu Chu among Sixers fans, there’s no realistic scenario where Maduabum ever plays in the NBA; this trade was a classic Hinkie something-for-nothing deal.

While part of me would like to believe the Sixers went after a guy in Anthony who Miami fans gave “MVP” chants for in the 2011 playoffs against the Sixers, this is purely about the draft pick. Anthony has scored a grand total of 9 points this season and is expected to be released fairly soon. At $2.5M this season, his contract brings the team closer the salary floor, without tying up the cap in the future, as his $2.5M salary next year is fully non-guaranteed.

The only casualty in all this is JaKarr Sampson, who was released in order to free up the necessary roster spot to acquire Anthony. Sampson is kind of the emblem of the Process for the Sixers the last few years, an undrafted player who doesn’t appear to have NBA-level talent, but works hard and shows flashes of maybe something being there someday. Although we will all miss his infectious smile, don’t feel too bad for JaKarr, as the team intends to re-sign him once he clears waivers and Anthony is released.

On a larger scale, this move shows Sam Hinkie still has some say in the front office even with Jerry Colangelo around. This trade was exactly the type of on-the-margins deal that Hinkie has excelled at since taking over, and a big reason why the team’s list of assets has grown so substantially in recent years. If the team continues to let Hinkie do these things well, while having Colangelo around to eventually bring in those key free agents, I think the future looks bright for the Sixers.