76ers put NBA in impossible position

[Mrofir]

NBA no doubt wants\needs this multiseason tank to end.

Here is the catch 22. If they somehow turn into title contenders, the strategy will have worked. That would be a disaster and impact the integrity of the league. Other teams would follow suit.

If the strategy totally fails, it's a disaster. 76ers will be a joke for years, and a drag on the league both from a revenue and integrity standpoint.

The only hope is that the 76ers turn into a a mediocre borderline playoff team as soon as possible, like next season. They would STILL be a revenue drag in this scenario, but at least the basic competitive integrity is restored. No idea how that happens. This is a very fine needle to thread and I would say a unique situation in league history. Quite a bit on the line for Adam Silver imo.

[Fallen Angel]

How is that impacting the league's integrity? They did a complete rebuild through the draft. They aren't doing anything shameful, of course a team full of 24 year olds and younger will lose a lot of games. The Embiid injury really messed up the trajectory of their rebuild, he was a franchise center that is getting held back with a foot injury. The Sixers had/have their franchise guy, it's not about getting him healthy.

If they still aren't good in the next 2-3 years then the Sixers will hire another GM and go through a different rebuilding phase. Almost every team in the league is losing money, so the league isn't losing their mind over the Sixers.

It's not easy doing a full rebuild the way the Sixers did started back in 2013. Everything fell off of line with Embiid's injury. If he had progressed the way he was supposed to then you'd probably have MCW/Noel/Embiid as the core of the Sixers for the next few years.

[outbreak]

To be fair they've had injuries.

I'm interested to see how it pans out, the idea seems good on paper but when you add in real humans as the players I'm not sure they will be happy being in this situation and I'm not sure they'll have the right attitudes and off court culture needed to easily turn in to a winning team. I could see some bolting first chance they get, I'm sure they talk to other players and hear about the way other teams are run and trying to win and it would make them bitter towards philly.

[Spurs m8]

They should try and draft Boban, would at least get some ticket sales

[gasolina]

I'm interested to see if the NBA by-laws has something similar to Board of Trustee members where they can't do things that could be found detrimental to the league as a whole.

While it's impossible to prove today that this mega tank is bad for the league, it's also illogical to not admit it's had adverse effects already.

A team can't just throw a game just for kicks. What the 6ers are doing is throwing away full seasons. Now does the end justify the means? TBH I don't think it should matter.

[Wally450]

How is that impacting the league's integrity? They did a complete rebuild through the draft. They aren't doing anything shameful, of course a team full of 24 year olds and younger will lose a lot of games. The Embiid injury really messed up the trajectory of their rebuild, he was a franchise center that is getting held back with a foot injury. The Sixers had/have their franchise guy, it's not about getting him healthy.

If they still aren't good in the next 2-3 years then the Sixers will hire another GM and go through a different rebuilding phase. Almost every team in the league is losing money, so the league isn't losing their mind over the Sixers.

It's not easy doing a full rebuild the way the Sixers did started back in 2013. Everything fell off of line with Embiid's injury. If he had progressed the way he was supposed to then you'd probably have MCW/Noel/Embiid as the core of the Sixers for the next few years.

Great post.

[FKAri]

How is that impacting the league's integrity? They did a complete rebuild through the draft. They aren't doing anything shameful, of course a team full of 24 year olds and younger will lose a lot of games. The Embiid injury really messed up the trajectory of their rebuild, he was a franchise center that is getting held back with a foot injury. The Sixers had/have their franchise guy, it's not about getting him healthy.

If they still aren't good in the next 2-3 years then the Sixers will hire another GM and go through a different rebuilding phase. Almost every team in the league is losing money, so the league isn't losing their mind over the Sixers.

It's not easy doing a full rebuild the way the Sixers did started back in 2013. Everything fell off of line with Embiid's injury. If he had progressed the way he was supposed to then you'd probably have MCW/Noel/Embiid as the core of the Sixers for the next few years.

It's worse than you think

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14...-76ers-changes

http://www.sbnation.com/2015/12/8/98...rs-adam-silver

[90sgoat]

Almost every team in the league is losing money

Is this true?

I thought the reason for the ridicolous max contracts were that the teams are swimming in money.

Maybe stop paying the likes of Tristan Thompson 88 million then.

[Clifton]

It seems pretty clear that this is not going to work.

There are two ways to win: a transcendent player, and a quality team and organization. Neither thing is going to happen to a team that is at the bottom of the league for years on end, on purpose. You build up bad vibes that way and powerful free agents don't want any part of you, and quality role players go to high-functioning teams that are fun to play on.

Golden State, Atlanta, Indiana, all the teams in vogue right now, none of them tanked. Spurs did -- over 15 years ago -- but no one remembers that now. Now they are a team that wins over 50 games every year even if D-league players are starting at the 5 or the 2 and they have perhaps the worst starting PG in the league. Oh: And they rest their starters a dozen games a year. Still win. Why? Chemistry... great coach... quality organization. Attracts fresh recruits like Aldridge to keep it all going.

Sixers are going about this the wrong way, and history will prove that and shove it back in their faces for the next decade. You. Do. Not. Win. This. Way.

[el gringos]

Aren't they tanking another season after this one?


At least their plan is to someday get really good. The worst are the teams that try for the middle


There's absolutely nothing wrong with what philly is doing. They just picked some injured guys and maybe not the bpa with some picks.


It would be crazy to see them actually come up with 3-4 top 20 picks. They deserve not top 2 pick though. I'd love to see them get lakers pick and their own at 4&5

[FireDavidKahn]

Is this true?

I thought the reason for the ridicolous max contracts were that the teams are swimming in money.

Maybe stop paying the likes of Tristan Thompson 88 million then.

Actually it is the complete opposite. Only 9 teams lost money in 2014 and that doesn't include the 24 billion dollar deal over 9 years for nationally televised games that is split among teams.
http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2014/10/...maximum-salary

[90sgoat]

Spurs did -- over 15 years ago -- but no one remembers that now.

Did they really tank? David Robinson had a season ending injury and they didn't force him back. Sean Elliot was injured, but can't remember the specifics. They basically lost the two best players of the team to injuries.

They at least had the good sense to bring back 37 year old Nique from Europe to at least have some reason to watch them.

Couldn't Sixers have tried to trade for Kobe? Or have MJ come back and play 10 minutes a game. Give Allen Iverson a last hurrah? Hire some Chinese 8 footers? First female player?

Sixers went about tanking the wrong way.

[oarabbus]

For those of you with real jobs: would you hire Sam Hinkie to be President or C-Level at your work?

[dhsilv]

For those of you with real jobs: would you hire Sam Hinkie to be President or C-Level at your work?

I don't know the guy that well. He's if I recall a former investment banker who's moved up in professional sports. His resume is pretty darn good. And he's doing exactly what he told his boss he's do. So ummm I guess if I didn't have anything but resume and the approval is his current boss, why not?

Or have you never worked in a start up environment where you intentionally lose millions a year?

[90sgoat]

Or have you never worked in a start up environment where you intentionally lose millions a year?

Lol no, have you?

Newsflash, those intentionally losing startups fail all the time. The only reason VC people keep posting money in them is because the eventual payoff of a Facebook or Google outweighs 100 losses.

Does winning an NBA championship once and 9 tank seasons in 10 years outweight having a mediocre team for 10 seasons? I don't think so, the math is not the same.