Sam Hinkie traded Spencer Hawes and Evan Turner, clearing cap space and accumulating draft picks. Credit: Getty Images
Evan Turner? Gone.
Spencer Hawes? Gone.
Thaddeus Young? Gone.
Not only did the Philadelphia 76ers continue to transform their roster by trading those three players in separate deals, they also let go of quite a bit of leadership.
Heading into the 2014-15 season, leaders will be hard to find on the Sixers because of their inexperience and youth.
Point guard Michael Carter-Williams, the reigning Rookie of the Year, is willing to step up and take on leadership duties.
That’s saying something about his makeup.
“I do think there is going to be a lot of responsibility on Michael, but we have seen a lot of growth,” Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie said. “We saw growth in March and April last year. I saw a good bit in July when he was around our (summer league) team. And I saw growth when we were in Spain in August (for the FIBA games).”
MCW is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. He’ll likely miss the beginning of the regular season.
But he expects to be one of the leaders of this team.
“I just have to keep growing as a leader,” Carter-Williams said. “I have to grow up fast on the court. Each and every night I have to will our team to win.”
Carter-Williams endured a difficult rookie season. He suffered through 26 straight losses, 63 total losses and surgery for a torn labrum.
The experience will pay dividends in the future.
“I learned you had to have a short memory in this game,” Carter-Williams said. “It was tough losing how many games we lost last year. I hate losing more than anybody, but you have to flip the page. You lose a game, you have to go on to the next one and try to win. Same thing with a play … if I make a turnover, I have to move on to the next play and stay positive with my teammates.”
Hinkie sure believes in his second-year point guard, who was the No. 11 overall pick from Syracuse before shining as a rookie.
“We have seen real growth in Michael in his approach to our season, his approach to his teammates, and even in the way he interacts with (coach) Brett (Brown),” Hinkie said. “It has been encouraging.”
