Sam Hinkie steps down as 76ers GM

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2016/04/sam_hinkies_resignation_letter.html



Sam Hinkie considered it a tragedy when the Boston Celtics beat him to a Joel Anthony trade




Sam Hinkie has resigned as general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)


Jay King | mjking@masslive.com By Jay King | mjking@masslive.com



on April 07, 2016 at 1:00 AM, updated April 07, 2016 at 1:50 AM




Sam Hinkie resigned as the Philadelphia 76ers general manager Wednesday night with a 13-page letter that simultaneously served as a history lesson, an intelligence showcase and an attempt to convince the team's equity partners that his "process" could have worked, still might work, and deserved more trust.

For those of you with time for the meandering thoughts of someone who won 47 games over two-plus seasons with the 76ers, the letter, initially posted by ESPN, is actually a fascinating read. Hinkie explained some of his philosophies, backed some of his moves and even discussed some of the times he believes he screwed up.

Hilariously, he included the time the Boston Celtics traded for Joel Anthony. The deal netted Boston two second-round draft picks and devastated poor Sam Hinkie.

In the first 26 months on the job we added more than one draft pick (or pick swap) per month to our coffers. That's more than 26 new picks or options to swap picks over and above the two per year the NBA allots each club. That's not any official record, because no one keeps track of such records. But it is the most ever. And it's not close. And we kick ourselves for not adding another handful.
Many of us remember exactly where we were when tragedy strikes and we think of what could have been. For me—and this is sad for my own mental well being—that list includes the January day in 2014 when Miami traded Joel Anthony and two second round picks to our formidable competitors the Celtics. I can still picture the child's play table I paced around at Lankenau Medical Center on my cell phone while negotiating with Miami's front office. This was in between feedings for our newborn twins, when my wife and I were still sleeping in the hospital. Danny Ainge finalized that deal (and several other better ones) and received one first-place vote for Executive of the Year that season: mine.

Hinkie just decided to leave his job. He's been trashed within NBA circles for building one of the worst teams ever. He won't get to see his master plan through to the end. And still, he found the time while writing his resignation letter to discuss the tragic day when he couldn't pull off a trade for Joel Anthony.

The NBA's amazing. It really is.



bob


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