GM Sam Hinkie drafted the rookie of the year, Michael Carter-Williams at No. 11 in last year’s draft. Credit: Getty Images
There’s no such thing as a quiet offseason for Sam Hinkie.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ general manager continues to mold the team with trades, signings and tweaks here and there. The final product is far from complete.
It’s a continual work-in-progress.
Bereft of veterans, the Sixers are likely in for another trip to the NBA lottery.
Aside from 33-year-old Jason Richardson, Luc Mbah a Moute is the team’s second-oldest player, and he’s entering his sixth season in the league.
While Hinkie keeps shaping the roster, it keeps getting younger.
“We’ve talked about this a lot over the past 12-plus months,” Hinkie said. “It is important for our young players to have other players to look up to. Last year, a lot of that fell to (coach) Brett (Brown) and our coaching staff.”
How about second-year point guard and reigning Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams?
“It’s a lot to place on a rookie or second-year player,” Hinkie said. “Brett said he saw Michael, particularly in the back third of the season, show some signs of that.”
Hinkie discussed a wide variety of subjects during a 30-minute conference call Tuesday.
Here are some other highlights:
On potential changes to the lottery: “It’s a bit early right now. There has been some discussion about that. A team like us, you want to gather all of the information. We will look at all of the options before you would make any kind of decision.”
On first-round pick Joel Embiid’s animated posts on Twitter: “Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of February, or late March, in the middle of a road trip where some of that humor doesn’t go over so well. Maybe he will touch the stove and get burned a time or two, but I think he will find his way and be fine. But it is the sort of thing we talk about.”
On whether Anthony Bennett, the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft, was mentioned in trade talks with the Sixers: “I can tell you unequivocally we didn’t have any conversations about (Bennett).
On whether Richardson will be able to contribute after missing more than a year-and-a-half with an injured knee: “I know he’s focused on getting ready for camp. I don’t know exactly how that will go. We’ll see when he gets closer.”
On how difficult it was to trade Thaddeus Young: “Thad Young has been here seven years for the Sixers and has laid it on the line night after night, undergoing a lot of change, some in the last year, and has continually brought it every day. … He was a day-to-day professional.”
On adding a first-round top-10 protected pick from Miami in the Young deal: “Nobody anticipates Miami will be in the top 10, they’ll be a very solid team this year and we’ll see how that plays out.”
