The 2013 NBA Draft has come and gone, and Sam Hinkie has already made his mark as the new general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers. Almost immediately after the New Orleans Pelicans took Nerlens Noel off the board at #6, several sources confirmed that the Sixers had agreed to send All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday to the Pelicans for Noel. The deal also sent the Pelicans' 2014 first-rounder to the Sixers and the #42 overall pick (Pierre Jackson) to the Pelicans. I found myself torn between two emotions for days- one day I loved the move, the next I hated it- but overall, I think the Sixers will be better off in the future after this trade, and Sam Hinkie proved that he will not settle for mediocrity.
While it is obvious now that Hinkie wants to start from scratch with this organization, it still hurts to watch a promising and proven young player traded away for a player with more question marks than anything else. Holiday, coming off a career year, was the sole bright spot for the Sixers last season, and many fans assumed that he was a big part of the future of the Sixers organization. But now Holiday is a Pelican, and the depletion of talent on the Sixers' roster could get worse before it gets better. During the latter part of the first round, there were quite a few reports that popped up saying that the Sixers were actively shopping Evan Turner, and that all they wanted in return was a late first round draft pick- but they could not get one team to accept their offer. I'm sure Hinkie will continue to pursue any possible trade scenarios for Turner, and possibly for some other players like Spencer Hawes or Thaddeus Young. When I said Hinkie is starting from scratch, I meant it.
As with everything else in life, it is always necessary to look at the positives of the situation. Yes, it is very likely that the Sixers will be awful this season, but when looking long term, the team is in very good shape. They will most likely have two lottery picks next year, for a draft that will have the most talented class in a decade. They will most likely have a very good chance to draft Andrew Wiggins, who is the rare type of player who can turn an organization from a perennial lottery team to a contender. They will also have a lot of money to spend next year, and I mean a lot. What this allows the Sixers to do is build a young team through the draft with 2 or 3 potential stars, and also have the money to surround that team with a supporting cast that will click together nicely.
Besides what the Sixers will be doing in the future, there can also be excitement about their first-round selection this year, Michael Carter-Williams. Carter-Williams will most likely step into the starting point guard roll now that that position has been vacated. He has some work to do offensively in regards to shooting the ball, but his size (6'6" 184 lbs) and vision (7.3 APG last year) are aspects that will translate well to the Association. He is a smart, physical player, and his ceiling in this league is sky high.
The Sixers off season has just begun, as the free agency period opened today, and we can almost certainly expect more headlines from this team within the next few weeks. Sixerdelphia will keep you posted!
NOTE: Sixers center Kwame Brown has exercised his $2.95 million player option.
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