I mean, in a sense I do understand what he's doing, and it's really what the league is forcing him to do. But, to me, aside from the early 80s, the Sixers have always been the "other" team in Philadelphia. If they moved the team, 3 years down the road, people would be going, "Wait: didn't we have a basketball team at some point?" (the same could be said about the Flyers but not for the majority of the 90s/00s). They're just a bad team, and aside from the 1 Finals year and the upset of the injury-riddled Bulls, they've been terrible for going on 2 decades now.
- jmatchett383

to me, that gives him greater freedom to try this sort of experiment.

to me, that gives him greater freedom to try this sort of experiment.
- stayinthefnnet

That's a good point. But I swear, I have never heard so much praise for a man who has torn apart a team, regardless of the state of said team. He's got the picks. That's step 1. Now, he has to utilize those picks to build a contending team. I'd like the entire city to get off the dude's sack until he's actually done more than trade players for picks.

I mean, in a sense I do understand what he's doing, and it's really what the league is forcing him to do. But, to me, aside from the early 80s, the Sixers have always been the "other" team in Philadelphia. If they moved the team, 3 years down the road, people would be going, "Wait: didn't we have a basketball team at some point?" (the same could be said about the Flyers but not for the majority of the 90s/00s). They're just a bad team, and aside from the 1 Finals year and the upset of the injury-riddled Bulls, they've been terrible for going on 2 decades now.
- jmatchett383

I think people would be pretty pissed if they moved.

This is why Hinkie is doing this. The Sixers always did things like the Flyers. Try to incrementally get better and add pieces. It doesn't work. You find yourself in mediocrity. That's where the team was for years before Hinkie. It's what I worry about the flyers

If (if) the Sixers get him, he'll be traded for a first round pick within a year and a half. That's my issue with Hinkie: it seems like he'll never be happy and keep trading his "veterans" for more draft picks. At what point will he stop and just let the players develop?
- jmatchett383

He hasn't crossed the threshold where I'm actively questioning when the trades for picks will stop. I do passively wonder if there is an "enough is enough" point in mind, though.

I think people would be pretty pissed if they moved.

This is why Hinkie is doing this. The Sixers always did things like the Flyers. Try to incrementally get better and add pieces. It doesn't work. You find yourself in mediocrity. That's where the team was for years before Hinkie. It's what I worry about the flyers
- PhillySportsGuy

The difference right now is that the Flyers have legitimate superstar players. The only way they could be bad enough to assure a top-3 pick would be to trade away Giroux/Voracek/Simmonds/Mason. The Flyers have a great track record at finding good players in the mid/late first round, and with the team now making an effort to draft and develop defensemen, I'd rather try that than to blow apart the team and completely deplete our skill.

Well I disagree. So does just about every basketball analyst
- PhillySportsGuy

Well at least you're wrong in good company.

That's a good point. But I swear, I have never heard so much praise for a man who has torn apart a team, regardless of the state of said team. He's got the picks. That's step 1. Now, he has to utilize those picks to build a contending team. I'd like the entire city to get off the dude's sack until he's actually done more than trade players for picks.
- jmatchett383

true. right now, its all potential.

but, theres intrigue. there is hope. as a fan, thats miles better than what there was before. not that im a sixers fan, but its not hard to understand.

i wish someone would do the same with the phillies.

true. right now, its all potential.

but, theres intrigue. there is hope. as a fan, thats miles better than what there was before. not that im a sixers fan, but its not hard to understand.

i wish someone would do the same with the phillies.
- stayinthefnnet

I will say this: I think they have a better plan than Mr. Oregon does.

With the Phillies, I'm still okay with the 2008 World Series. Let Hamels, Utley, and Howard ride out their careers and retire as life-long Phillies. Once the last piece of that team is gone, then I'll start getting cranky with them.

The difference right now is that the Flyers have legitimate superstar players. The only way they could be bad enough to assure a top-3 pick would be to trade away Giroux/Voracek/Simmonds/Mason. The Flyers have a great track record at finding good players in the mid/late first round, and with the team now making an effort to draft and develop defensemen, I'd rather try that than to blow apart the team and completely deplete our skill.
- jmatchett383

i agree with this. but the sixers didnt have those types of guys.

and basketball is different than hockey. much different. flyers sneak in as a 6 seed. mason gets hot. you never know.

sixers sneak in as a 7 seed, they get blown out by cleveland.

I will say this: I think they have a better plan than Mr. Oregon does.

With the Phillies, I'm still okay with the 2008 World Series. Let Hamels, Utley, and Howard ride out their careers and retire as life-long Phillies. Once the last piece of that team is gone, then I'll start getting cranky with them.
- jmatchett383

i can deal with the losing. i cant deal with the lack of any tangible purpose. phils have no young guys on the horizon. there is just dead space coming up.

The difference right now is that the Flyers have legitimate superstar players. The only way they could be bad enough to assure a top-3 pick would be to trade away Giroux/Voracek/Simmonds/Mason. The Flyers have a great track record at finding good players in the mid/late first round, and with the team now making an effort to draft and develop defensemen, I'd rather try that than to blow apart the team and completely deplete our skill.
- jmatchett383

The only problem is those Flyers players are in their prime now. That means they have 4 maybe 5 years of elite play left in them if all goes well. Even if Giroux stays elite longer, he could end up another Datsyuk who is constantly injured. Will the rest of the team be made it to a contender before that time is up? That's the big concern.

Players 26 and under:

I will say this: I think they have a better plan than Mr. Oregon does.

With the Phillies, I'm still okay with the 2008 World Series. Let Hamels, Utley, and Howard ride out their careers and retire as life-long Phillies. Once the last piece of that team is gone, then I'll start getting cranky with them.
- jmatchett383

even if they missed the playoffs, but still hovered around 500, i could deal with that with the old guys.

but they wont. they are going to be laughably bad. i can get by on the lack of winning with the 2008, but i cant get by on the absolute 0 lack of entertainment value.

The difference right now is that the Flyers have legitimate superstar players. The only way they could be bad enough to assure a top-3 pick would be to trade away Giroux/Voracek/Simmonds/Mason. The Flyers have a great track record at finding good players in the mid/late first round, and with the team now making an effort to draft and develop defensemen, I'd rather try that than to blow apart the team and completely deplete our skill.
- jmatchett383

Imagine the Flyers had the 3rd pick in this draft instead of the 7th or 8th.

Now imagine the team with the 6th pick offered you the pick for Couturier. Would you do it?

He hasn't crossed the threshold where I'm actively questioning when the trades for picks will stop. I do passively wonder if there is an "enough is enough" point in mind, though.
- BulliesPhan87

I see it this way. No league is more affected by good or bad drafting like the NBA. You have 12 players. And if you cant develop your own players you are screwed. Free agency comes in big, but again, you are only helped if you don't have too much money tied up in players you didn't draft (because you can go over the cap to retain your own) Then you can go out and sign Lebron, Bosh, and Whats his name all at once and buy a championship or two.

The Sixers went YEARS with mediocre players signed to cap strapping contracts while drafting in the middle of the first round. Rarely do you get a great player drafting there. And you cant sign anyone who is a FA and any good. (because you don't have the money AND because they don't want to play there)

Hinkie, by blowing it up and drafting (hopefully) good players they can control, is doing it right, especially in the NBA cap environment.

If it all works out, they will have their own version of Sampson and Olajuwan for years and years.

Well at least you're wrong in good company.

- mayorofangrytown

Yup. They'll all bust. Just like every year

Imagine the Flyers had the 3rd pick in this draft instead of the 7th or 8th.

Now imagine the team with the 6th pick offered you the pick for Couturier. Would you do it?
- PhillySportsGuy

Yes I'd do it, but that's regardless of where the Flyers are picking. The real question to me is: how did the Flyers get to be so bad that they have the 3rd pick.

Yup. They'll all bust. Just like every year
- PhillySportsGuy

I remember people going crazy on the Sixers getting the 2nd overall pick a few years ago.

Who did they draft again? I cannot even remember his name right now. I can see his face, though.

I think people would be pretty pissed if they moved.

This is why Hinkie is doing this. The Sixers always did things like the Flyers. Try to incrementally get better and add pieces. It doesn't work. You find yourself in mediocrity. That's where the team was for years before Hinkie. It's what I worry about the flyers
- PhillySportsGuy

The Sixers TRIED to do things like the Flyers and ultimately, their management team made a mess of it somehow.

Furthermore, player movement and salary cap rules between the two leagues are so different.

What you should worry about if you're a Sixers fan is that once losing becomes easy, it becomes the way things are with your team. It takes a lot to snap out of that.

I remember people going crazy on the Sixers getting the 2nd overall pick a few years ago.

Who did they draft again? I cannot even remember his name right now. I can see his face, though.
- jmatchett383

Evan Turner.

Yes I'd do it, but that's regardless of where the Flyers are picking. The real question to me is: how did the Flyers get to be so bad that they have the 3rd pick.
- jmatchett383

The Flyers just plain sucked their way to it. Instead of being 7th worst, they were 3rd worst.

Evan Turner.
- johndewar

Yeah, him.

What's he been up to? Still in the league?

The Flyers just plain sucked their way to it. Instead of being 7th worst, they were 3rd worst.
- PhillySportsGuy

I don't think their roster, short of about 3 key injuries, can allow them to get that bad.

I remember people going crazy on the Sixers getting the 2nd overall pick a few years ago.

Who did they draft again? I cannot even remember his name right now. I can see his face, though.
- jmatchett383

They made a bad choice because they were (frank)ing anti analytics. Should have taken Cousins and took Turner because he was a big time leader at OSU. (frank)ing Evan Turner. He still thinks he's an all star who just needs an opportunity

The Sixers TRIED to do things like the Flyers and ultimately, their management team made a mess of it somehow.

Furthermore, player movement and salary cap rules between the two leagues are so different.

What you should worry about if you're a Sixers fan is that once losing becomes easy, it becomes the way things are with your team. It takes a lot to snap out of that.
- johndewar

im sure a lot of it was company line rhetoric, but the guy from their front office said that as far as the players concerned, they dont like the losing and try really hard, but simultaneously they understand the big picture of where they are going. in a lot of ways, it helps guys stay loose. they know they can focus on improving, even if it might hurt right now. the players appreciate the investment in them, and its reciprocal.