Sam Hinkie Died For Our Sins, But His Process Is Now Complete

The day was May 14, 2013. A day that will live in infamy in Sixers fans hearts. May 14, 2013 was the day the Sixers introduced the architect of this whole process, Sam Hinkie.




Hinkie, who was brought in to take the Sixers to the next level, voiced these very words on that day. “It will be a process”. Those words would transform into the phrase, “TRUST THE PROCESS” , and the rest is history.

“The Process” wasn’t seen as a good thing by many. Including most of the NBA. It was a threat to the NBA and its culture. But, the Sixers saw it as a new way of thinking. A new way to become part of the NBAs elite.

However, the NBA knew they had to step in. The NBA knew that couldn’t reward a team for “tanking” to get better. In what has never been confirmed, the NBA forced Jerry Colangelo into the Sixers organization. This is when the architect, Sam Hinkie, would know his time was up.




But, the work was already complete. Many believed Sam Hinkie was the process. Hinkie’s thinking of tanking and high draft picks were over. However, you forgot about the purpose of the process. The process wasn’t about tanking. No. The process was about gathering as many assets as possible.

This is where the NBA got the process wrong. Yes, the tanking was a big part of it. But, they forgot about the purpose of the process. What Hinkie did before the Colangelo’s took over was the process. The Colangelo’s came into power at the perfect time to take all the praise and honor for the process.

However, they never completed the process. The Colangelo’s failed to realize what they had. They failed to understand what Sam Hinkie had built through the process. But, someone apart of the process knew exactly what was going on. Someone who played and helped with the process. That someone is Sixers GM Elton Brand.




Elton Brand was signed in 2016 as a player. But, it would quickly become known, Elton Brand was brought in to help with the process. A role as a player-coach to help the young future stars of the Sixers. Then, when the Colangelo’s power came to an end with the burner account saga, one man was chosen to lead the Sixers. That man was Elton Brand.

Many fans didn’t like Elton Brand as the GM. After reportedly striking out on multiple executives from the leagues best teams, the Sixers went with the in-house choice in Brand. However, this wasn’t Brand’s first time as an executive. Brand was the President of Basketball Operations for the Sixers D-League team, the Delaware Bluecoats, the previous two seasons.

But, what the Colangelo’s didn’t realize was what the Sixers actually had. An unlimited amount of assets to add to this team in need of the final piece. The piece to complete the process. However, Elton Brand saw this. Brand knew from day 1 in office the Sixers needed another piece to become great. They needed someone who would take the Sixers from quality to elite.




Fast forward to today, November 11, 2018. The day that will go down in history as the day the process was complete. 5 years after Sam Hinkie began the process, it was complete.

See the process wasn’t about tanking and building through the draft. No. That is where the NBA got it wrong. The process was about stocking up on enough assets to get a star. An elite player in the NBA. Exactly what the Sixers did acquiring Jimmy Butler.

So, let me be the first one to say from the bottom of my heart, Thank You Sam Hinkie for the process. Now, that the process is complete, it is now in the hands of the hand-picked players to perform.




Get ready for the next six years of the Philadelphia Big 3, Simmons – Embiid – Butler.