In the days and hours leading up to the 2014 NBA draft, no one’s stock sunk lower than Joel Embiid’s, the product of recent revelations that the 7’0” Kansas University prodigy had undergone a potential season-ending surgery on his right foot.
Like Nerlens Noel the year before, Embiid—after capping out atop many a mock draft—seemed in danger of slipping deep down the lottery ladder. Instead, it was Noel’s team, the Philadelphia 76ers, who wound up snatching the Cameroonian center at No. 3.
And, like Noel, Embiid may be forced to miss his entire rookie season:
That may not be what Sixers fans wanted to hear from general manager Sam Hinkie. But they might be glad they did.
In a nutshell, Hinkie’s front-office strategy boils down to a singular managerial mantra: collecting assets. It’s why Philly walked away from Thursday’s draft with seven total picks, and it’s why it’ll likely be lottery-bound for the foreseeable future.
Hinkie cut his front-office teeth under Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey, a graduate of ...
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Article written by Jim Cavan
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June 28th, 2014 by Jim Cavan Leave a reply »
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