Sam Hinkie has done it again! If you thought the Jrue Holiday trade was an absolute stunner two years ago, then the trade of Rookie of the Year, Michael Carter-Williams on Thursday was nothing short of supreme madness. With just a few short minutes left before the 3 pm deadline Sam Hinkie, who for the most part had been relatively quiet besides bringing in the majestic goofball that is NBA big man JaVale McGee, stunned the basketball foundation of the Sixers when he shockingly dealt Carter-Williams to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for a lottery pick that is top five protected in 2015 via the Los Angeles Lakers.
The hits kept coming as rookie highlight dunker K.J. McDaniels was shipped out to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Isaiah Canaan and a second round pick. Twitter and social media was sent in to a frenzy and nobody really knew what was going on! Reports were streaming left and right about if the moves were true and then the false report was that they were receiving star point guard Isaiah Thomas from the Phoenix Suns. For a short twenty minute time span it seemed as if the Sixers basic infrastructure imploded before our very eyes.
With Hinkie it’s all about the waiting game honestly and patience is key. He has been saying time after time that, “We want the best opportunity to build something special.” At this point that is true, given the amount of draft picks he has at his disposal. At this current time, the Philadelphia 76ers have the rights to 25 draft picks over the next 5-6 years. That is just down right amazing no matter how you look at it. If things can fall into place as they hope, the Sixers will not just be special, they will not just have a bandwagon, they will be down right a force of basketball annihilation. Hinkie has more assets and talented young players than most realize. Also this is honestly what a FULL REBUILD is all about.
Right now, the Sixers are still in the lab mixing and matching, seeing who is a role player and who is at the team’s disposal. The team has 29 games left on the schedule and then comes the big day. May 19th will be an important day for the team’s immediate future. That day the league will hold its annual draft lottery in New Jersey. According to some there is a very good chance that the Sixers do in fact get that pick via the Lakers. Of course, the Lakers would have to fall out of the top five for that to happen, but on the contrary the Sixers will still have their own pick in the draft as well as possibly the first round pick of Oklahoma City this year.
In my opinion, I grew far too attached to the players on this team too quickly. I am a true fan of the franchise and was a witness during the glory days. Carter-Williams was in fact a reason I went to the arena night in and night out. Sadly its a business and business decisions were made. The fan base is torn down the middle on the trade honestly. Some saw it as a great offer, given Carter-Williams is one of the poorest shooters in the league and his maturity was always questioned. He has tied the NBA league record for most triple-doubles since the start of last season with five, as well as debuting and almost recording a quadruple-double last season against the then defending NBA champion Miami Heat.
Some felt given the right roster he could turn the team around and be a leader for years to come. Others, who follow the game closely are happy and unfazed by his departure. According to the number, his efficiency rating at the time when he was drafted was 45. 45 is horrible honestly and here is why. 45 means that every starting point guard and almost half the backup point guards are ahead of Michael Carter-Williams. Another example, Isaiah Canaan is known for being a solid shooter. Canaan has a three point percentage of 38.1 so far this season and a field goal percentage of 40.5 percent. Everybody who has followed Hinkie knows he is a numbers guy and if you can trade for a player who is a pretty solid shooter and to replace your current point guard that you will also get a lottery pick for, my question is why not jump on the opportunity? Just like when the Sixers traded Jrue Holiday everyone was left in shambles until we looked at the bigger picture once the dust settled. I do not think the fan base should look at it as a do over for the rebuild but more so a do over at the position.
Hinkie said in regards to him getting players who are not well known, “Just because players aren’t playing for certain teams, doesn’t mean that they can’t play.” Isaiah Canaan was highly sought after in the draft according to Hinkie but the Sixers missed the mark to grab him by two picks. Hinkie is really high on Canaan and admitted he liked Carter-Williams a lot but was also open and said that he was on the trade table since day one. At the end of the day, the deals have been done and the ink has settled. Players have said how they felt and are now wearing new colors and numbers. Canaan will reportedly debut Sunday for the Sixers versus the Orlando Magic. He has big shoes to fill but it isn’t with the coaches, its more so the fans.
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