Most improved teams (win/loss record) in the NBA next season?

[slamtheking]

It's not a real rumor, though -- it's conjecture relying (mostly) on the fact that he traded Jrue Holiday at his all-time highest value for the 6th pick as it's basis. That pick, of course, turned into Nerlens Noel, who will probably help NBA teams win more games than Jrue Holiday for the foreseeable future.

that and the MCW trade as well.  I'm not big on MCW as a starting PG so far but he's much better than who they've had at PG since that deal.

MCW isn't actually good at basketball, though, which pretty much everyone recognized (including MCW, who had to field trade rumors on the 2014 draft night, as I recall)

I agree that he isn't as good as some people here claimed.  winning a dubious (IMHO) ROY award does not mean someone is really good.  in his case, I think it emphasized the weakness of the draft class.

in any case, he's still better than any PG they've used since the trade.  speaks volumes about the quality of PGs they've had.

[D.o.s.]

No love for Ish Smith? 

On the other hand, that's to be expected, isn't it? They traded MCW at the trade deadline, so it isn't as if they've had a lot of time to get a replacement... and they traded a (probably mediocre) point guard during a time when the position is filled with quality players for what could feasibly have been the sixth overall pick. It isn't as if they just traded him for nothing.

[slamtheking]

No love for Ish Smith? 

On the other hand, that's to be expected, isn't it? They traded MCW at the trade deadline, so it isn't as if they've had a lot of time to get a replacement... and they traded a (probably mediocre) point guard during a time when the position is filled with quality players for what could feasibly have been the sixth overall pick. It isn't as if they just traded him for nothing.

I have a real ISHue with him as a starting PG 

[D.o.s.]

[Moranis]

It's not a real rumor, though -- it's conjecture relying (mostly) on the fact that he traded Jrue Holiday at his all-time highest value for the 6th pick as it's basis. That pick, of course, turned into Nerlens Noel, who will probably help NBA teams win more games than Jrue Holiday for the foreseeable future.

It was actually Nerlens Noel and a future pick (Elfrid Payton) which was then traded for Saric, the pick in the last draft that was Hernangomez which Philly traded for a 2020 and 2021 2nd round picks, and a 2017 2nd. 

So Jrue Holiday has netted the Sixers thus far Noel, Saric, and three future 2nd round picks. 

[Moranis]

It's not a real rumor, though -- it's conjecture relying (mostly) on the fact that he traded Jrue Holiday at his all-time highest value for the 6th pick as it's basis. That pick, of course, turned into Nerlens Noel, who will probably help NBA teams win more games than Jrue Holiday for the foreseeable future.

that and the MCW trade as well.  I'm not big on MCW as a starting PG so far but he's much better than who they've had at PG since that deal.

MCW isn't actually good at basketball, though, which pretty much everyone recognized (including MCW, who had to field trade rumors on the 2014 draft night, as I recall)

I agree that he isn't as good as some people here claimed.  winning a dubious (IMHO) ROY award does not mean someone is really good.  in his case, I think it emphasized the weakness of the draft class.

in any case, he's still better than any PG they've used since the trade.  speaks volumes about the quality of PGs they've had.

I'm not so sure MCW is better than Tony Wroten who should be Philly's starting PG this year. 

[D.o.s.]

It's not a real rumor, though -- it's conjecture relying (mostly) on the fact that he traded Jrue Holiday at his all-time highest value for the 6th pick as it's basis. That pick, of course, turned into Nerlens Noel, who will probably help NBA teams win more games than Jrue Holiday for the foreseeable future.

It was actually Nerlens Noel and a future pick (Elfrid Payton) which was then traded for Saric, the pick in the last draft that was Hernangomez which Philly traded for a 2020 and 2021 2nd round picks, and a 2017 2nd. 

So Jrue Holiday has netted the Sixers thus far Noel, Saric, and three future 2nd round picks.

Thank you for the correction, TP.

[BDeCosta26]

Hinkie's MO all along has been to trade guys that he doesn't believe have the talent to become stars.

What's interesting about the Noel - Okafor - Embiid situation is that it's the first time Hinkie may be forced to trade one or more players who do have star talent but who cannot play together long term.

Agreed. I think that's why it's Noel who goes, and maybe by mid-season. No matter what way you slice it, Okafor has more potential than Noel does and Noel looked better in Philly than he would've probably anywhere else last year. The longer Noel has to play the 4 next to Okafor, the lower his trade value is gonna be.

I'd be willing to make a decent package for him with anyone not named Smart on the table. Noel is a very good fit for this team, this city and the type of D Stevens wants to play.

[slamtheking]

It's not a real rumor, though -- it's conjecture relying (mostly) on the fact that he traded Jrue Holiday at his all-time highest value for the 6th pick as it's basis. That pick, of course, turned into Nerlens Noel, who will probably help NBA teams win more games than Jrue Holiday for the foreseeable future.

that and the MCW trade as well.  I'm not big on MCW as a starting PG so far but he's much better than who they've had at PG since that deal.

MCW isn't actually good at basketball, though, which pretty much everyone recognized (including MCW, who had to field trade rumors on the 2014 draft night, as I recall)

I agree that he isn't as good as some people here claimed.  winning a dubious (IMHO) ROY award does not mean someone is really good.  in his case, I think it emphasized the weakness of the draft class.

in any case, he's still better than any PG they've used since the trade.  speaks volumes about the quality of PGs they've had.

I'm not so sure MCW is better than Tony Wroten who should be Philly's starting PG this year. 

I don't think highly of either one but I think MCW is a better pg than Wroten.  in either case, PG won't exactly be a strength for Philly this year.

[RAAAAAAAANDY]

It's not a real rumor, though -- it's conjecture relying (mostly) on the fact that he traded Jrue Holiday at his all-time highest value for the 6th pick as it's basis. That pick, of course, turned into Nerlens Noel, who will probably help NBA teams win more games than Jrue Holiday for the foreseeable future.

that and the MCW trade as well.  I'm not big on MCW as a starting PG so far but he's much better than who they've had at PG since that deal.

MCW isn't actually good at basketball, though, which pretty much everyone recognized (including MCW, who had to field trade rumors on the 2014 draft night, as I recall)

I agree that he isn't as good as some people here claimed.  winning a dubious (IMHO) ROY award does not mean someone is really good.  in his case, I think it emphasized the weakness of the draft class.

in any case, he's still better than any PG they've used since the trade.  speaks volumes about the quality of PGs they've had.

You realize the team was better following that trade right?

[slamtheking]

It's not a real rumor, though -- it's conjecture relying (mostly) on the fact that he traded Jrue Holiday at his all-time highest value for the 6th pick as it's basis. That pick, of course, turned into Nerlens Noel, who will probably help NBA teams win more games than Jrue Holiday for the foreseeable future.

that and the MCW trade as well.  I'm not big on MCW as a starting PG so far but he's much better than who they've had at PG since that deal.

MCW isn't actually good at basketball, though, which pretty much everyone recognized (including MCW, who had to field trade rumors on the 2014 draft night, as I recall)

I agree that he isn't as good as some people here claimed.  winning a dubious (IMHO) ROY award does not mean someone is really good.  in his case, I think it emphasized the weakness of the draft class.

in any case, he's still better than any PG they've used since the trade.  speaks volumes about the quality of PGs they've had.

You realize the team was better following that trade right?

better is a relative term in regards to that team.  that's like having your dog panting in your face and thinking "you have good breath, for a dog".  still dog breath.

[RAAAAAAAANDY]

Sixers huh?  Interesting.

I like Okafor, but that's bold.  They still don't have more than a few NBA rotation players at positions other than center, and they're probably going to try to play Noel and Okafor together for a lot of minutes, which probably won't work out very well on the offensive end.

The Sixers are going places, just not this year.

They only won 17 games.  I really think 34 is reasonable for them as Noel now is a full season removed from the injury (and the second year is always better than the first) and I do really like Okafor.  He was the most NBA ready of all players in the draft.  I expect Aldemir to make a big jump with a full season.  Thompson is still an incredible shooter.  Grant, Covington, Canaan, and Sampson should all improve.  Wroten is back.  They added Staukas.  I like Wallace and Landry for leadership potential.

It will all come down to Noel and Okafor, obviously, but I really think they are going to surprise a lot of people.

So who is going to be worse than Philly just out of curiosity?

In the East.  Detroit, Charlotte, New York, and Orlando

None of those teams, barring injuries, will finish worse than the Sixers.  By what reasoning would you make that statement?  All 4 have more talent and better-balanced rosters.  I don't think any of them are playoff teams but none of them are relying on an unproven rookie and second-year player (who both play the same position) to lead them out of the league-embarrassment level of achievement. 

Also, just to throw another twist on this, who's to say Hinkie doesn't torpedo that team's roster if it happens to surpass current expectations during the season?  Philly is in another race to the bottom, the only way they finish better than anyone else is if a bad team gets crushed by the injury bug.

Hinkie's entire history says he's not going to torpedo the team due to being "too good."

The "best" player he's given up in a trade mid-season was a guy they upgraded from by acquiring Ish freakin' Smith.

If I had to guess they'll have the 3rd or 4th worst record. I expect LAL's dumpster fire of long two jacking gunners, and Denver's dumpster fire of a dumpster fire to be worse. I also expect a team in the East that suffers injuries to flat out try to lose games like the Knicks did last year.

If Brook Lopez gets hurt that roster is definitely worse than the Sixers.

Rumors have been out there for as long as Hinkie has been the GM that they will trade any player for picks. I'm not sure about the stance that Hinkie wouldn't trade guys because they are too good.

Wasn't the point of signing all those d-league quality players to make sure the Sixers weren't too good?

Until I see the Sixers fill out their roster with quality players instead of d-league fliers I will continue to think that Philly is still in tank mode.

The Sixers could easily win a lot more games than they did last year, but I don't think the organizational goal will be to do that.

No...

It was to find NBA caliber rotation players who they'd have under team control for 4 years at a fraction of market value.

Losing isn't the goal, it was the obvious byproduct of his moves. He's never given away legit NBA players to get worse like Phil Jackson did last year. He got what he could from the vets on the crap roster he inherited and sifted thru the bargain bin looking for NBA players who he could pay peanuts.

[D.o.s.]

For folks who think that the above is something that never happens in the NBA and that Hinkie is simply just trying to lose, I would refer you to Chandler Parsons as one more-recent example of that kind of 'found money' player Randy with the extra A's is referring to.

[bdm860]

It's not a real rumor, though -- it's conjecture relying (mostly) on the fact that he traded Jrue Holiday at his all-time highest value for the 6th pick as it's basis. That pick, of course, turned into Nerlens Noel, who will probably help NBA teams win more games than Jrue Holiday for the foreseeable future.

that and the MCW trade as well.  I'm not big on MCW as a starting PG so far but he's much better than who they've had at PG since that deal.

MCW isn't actually good at basketball, though, which pretty much everyone recognized (including MCW, who had to field trade rumors on the 2014 draft night, as I recall)

I agree that he isn't as good as some people here claimed.  winning a dubious (IMHO) ROY award does not mean someone is really good.  in his case, I think it emphasized the weakness of the draft class.

in any case, he's still better than any PG they've used since the trade.  speaks volumes about the quality of PGs they've had.

You realize the team was better following that trade right?

You talking about MCW and Philly?

The team was 12-41 when he was traded (22.6%) and went 6-23 after the trade (20.7%).  If anything they were worse, but I'd really call that more of a wash. 

If you want to go a little deeper, Philly was actually 11-30 (26.8%) in games MCW actually played in.  What are you going by that says Philly was better after the trade?

[Moranis]

For folks who think that the above is something that never happens in the NBA and that Hinkie is simply just trying to lose, I would refer you to Chandler Parsons as one more-recent example of that kind of 'found money' player Randy with the extra A's is referring to.

yep and he found Hollis Thompson (who is an excellent shooter), Robert Covington and Jakarr Sampson (both who looked pretty good at times).  I think all 3 of those guys have at worst quality rotation ability and a shooter as good as Thompson with his size will have a very long career (there aren't too many 6'8" players that have shot over 40% from three in two consecutive seasons, never mind their first two seasons in the league).