They were trying to clear space to sign some free agents, which ended up being Rondo, Koufos, and Belinelli. I don't remember who their original targets were, but they were predictably rebuffed by any player who actually had options.
It's just the age old story of a team thinking they would play a lot better than they did, or delusionally thinking that they could actually attract some real talent to play for them.
Thanks for that, TP.
It certainly seems to vindicate the Process, and Hinkie. Can't see any non-major market team trading away first rounders now.
Interesting, that not only does Philly have 3 probable multi-year all stars, but they seem to have ultimately won the PR battle.
https://clutchpoints.com/76ers-record-breaking-ticket-sales-anticipation/
This was always going to happen. Embiid's second injury set the timeline back a bit, but this was always going to be the result. The real question is of course, what will the win/loss result end up being as that is the true measure of whether or not the Process was a success.
I really wonder what Hinkie would have been able to do with the team building phase if he was given the chance to do it. He had no real team building sense early on, but he wasn't trying to do that. He is such a smart guy, I think he would have figured out how to build the team and add the right pieces around the players. Instead Philly is stuck with the Colangelo's who will probably mess it up and then Hinkie will get blamed even though it wouldn't have been his fault.
It is a bit humorous to me. The TWolves have a star center prospect that was in the conversation for the all-star game last year that has zero serious injury concerns at this time. They just got a top 20 player in the NBA in his prime in Butler. They have Wiggins, who was hyped as a perennial all-star, but has only proven to be an elite scorer so far in his NBA career.
They have a solid big in Dieng that averaged 10 and 8 last year on 50% shooting and started to flash a 3 point shot on very low volume. They have a league average veteran point guard that is a very good passer and defender. They have 85 million in committed salary for next season and 11 million of that is to an expiring Pecovic. Yet everyone is losing their mind for the 76ers team that has players with serious injury issues and two other completely unproven players and we never talk about the Wolves..
The Wolves had a very bright future before they traded for Butler, who should help balance out the roster a bit. I still don't like the Towns and Dieng fit, but swapping Lavine for Butler should immensely help the backcourt balance. I wouldn't be surprised if the Wolves ended up 4th in the West next year (obviously pending free agency). Similarly if the Sixers end up with someone like Redick to help balance the backcourt, I could see them possibly being a top 6 team in the East (obviously again pending free agency). I mean it isn't unrealistic to see a 15 game win jump adding Simmons, Fultz, Embiid, and Redick.
But you are projecting the Wolves could be 4th in the west (a tougher conference) and you are saying maybe the 76ers could end up 6th if they maybe convince a sought after 33 year old free agent that has never won a ring in his career to join them for a potential first round exit.
So wouldn't that imply the Wolves are at a lot more exciting position?
It is also interesting that I have seen you argue in other threads that rookies don't really have an impact on wins unless it is a shaq or lebron type talent yet you are saying the 76ers get a 15 jump from having simmons and fultz. They are not really "adding" embiid considering 60% of their wins last year came with him playing and he is hardly expected to play 82 games this year.
Did you come up with the title for the show "it's always sunny in Philadelphia"? It seems to be your disposition for assessing their team. In the last two weeks you have argued you could see them getting Iggy, Lowry and now Reddick.
The Wolves are further along because they didn't have injuries and they added Butler. I'm not really sure the West is better than the East except at the top. The West has 3 teams that might end up as the 3 best teams in basketball, but not much else in the middle especially with Paul leaving LA and the uncertainty in Utah. (obviously if Hayward and Hill return they should be the 4th seed again pretty easily). OKC, MEM, POR, DEN, NO, DAL those aren't great teams by any stretch of the imagination. Obviously CLE and BOS should both be very good again, MIL is coming on, WAS and TOR should both be pretty good (if their free agents return). After that MIA, CHO, DET are all in the same mix as those western teams. ATL could be depending on Millsap. The Knicks still have Anthony and Porzingis. Chicago still has Wade and Rondo.
Embiid played 31 games, the Sixers won 13 of them (of course they were 8-2 in his last 10 games). His last game was January 27th (he played in 31 of the 45 games). Even assuming he still misses about a third of the games, if he just plays till the end of the year that is 57 games or so. At the same win percentage that is 24 wins and 33 losses. They won 15 of the 51 games he sat. Even assuming the same percentage that is another 7 wins, which puts them at 31 wins (or 3 wins better) and that doesn't account for Simmons, Fultz, or Redick (in this example). Nor does it account for expected growth from Embiid or Saric who were rookies last year (you generally see the biggest jump from year 1 to year 2 on players that get respectable playing time).
I expect Philly to be a 40-45 win team and they might be that even without someone like Redick (Bayless only played in 3 games and he is one of the best shooters in the league).
I'd put Minnesota a bit better and in the 45-50 win range, which if the Jazz implode, might just be enough for 4th in the West next season.