Giglio: Draft Night Is All About Hinkie
By Joe Giglio
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- When Adam Silver takes the podium to start the 2015 NBA Draft, everything will be about the prospects entering the NBA. From flashy suits to words like "upside" and "potential," coverage will revolve around the players. In Philadelphia, there will be instant reaction over the No. 3 overall pick.
While D'Angelo Russell, or Kristaps Porzingis, or Mario Hezonja could be a future Sixers star, draft night really isn't about the 19 or 20-year-old kid that puts on a Sixers cap for the first time.
Thursday night is about Sam Hinkie.
Whether or not you are on board with the process is irrelevant when it comes to evaluating Hinkie's performance on draft night. On draft night, it's not about the standings or future results; it's about maximizing the draft board, manipulating information and leveraging assets to add to the roster. In other words, what Sam Hinkie does best.
Hinkie has run the last two drafts for the Sixers. In each, it can be argued that the franchise landed the best prospect in the class. That doesn't mean Nerlens Noel is a future Hall of Famer or Joel Embiid will stay healthy, but rather that Hinkie found a way, despite not holding the top pick in either draft, to procure a player with more talent than his peers.
Think about the deals Hinkie has constructed in the last two drafts.
In 2013, he swapped Jrue Holiday for Nerlens Noel. A deal that looked good in the moment and even better today. At No. 11, Hinkie drafted Michael Carter-Williams, landing the Rookie of the Year outside of the top 10. Now, that MCW selection is a new asset in the form of a future Lakers selection.
Last year, Hinkie's selection of Joel Embiid at No. 3 was a no-brainer for Philadelphia -- despite what some are saying in hindsight. Armed with another lottery selection, Hinkie took Elfrid Payton at No. 10 with the knowledge of Orlando's infatuation with him. Dario Saric and a future first-round pick came in return, an absolute haul for simply knowing and maneuvering information within the lottery.
While some fans scoff at second round picks, last year's group featured K.J. McDaniels and Jerami Grant. With five second round picks on Thursday night, don't be surprised if another contributor or two emerges.
It's so easy to evaluate a GM solely on results, but that's short-sighted when talking about a long-term plan. If Hinkie's report card was only about win-loss record during his first two seasons, well, he's awful. If his draft report card is only about MCW's career in Philadelphia and Embiid's health thus far, he's lost.
But if you think back to the night of each of his first two drafts, Hinkie dominated. No GM did more with less, brought back as much for the future and landed the prospects that were each considered, before injury, to be the best in the class.
I have no idea who the Sixers will or should pick on Thursday night or how many games they'll win in 2015-16, but I do have confidence in this fact: Draft night is Hinkie's time to do what he does best. If the most polarizing basketball mind in the sport continues to land the best player in each class and fleece organizations in trades, results are bound to show on the court.
Rip the plan 364 nights a year, but don't bother on draft night. Hinkie's been too good in these spots to even try to argue the other way.
Joe Giglio is a host on WIP. Find him on Twitter @JoeGiglioSports. Catch Joe's next show on WIP Thursday night at 10PM.
