A trade that came across in the flurry of deadline deals caught a bunch of people by surprise when the Philadelphia 76ers sent last season’s Rookie of the Year, Michael Carter-Williams, from Philadelphia to the Milwaukee Bucks in a 3-team deal. Sixers GM Sam Hinkie has come under fire from some Sixers fans and media who are confused by his moves but Hinkie, in usual fashion, is looking towards the future. Following from John Finger of CSN Philly:
What got Hinkie to release his grip on Carter-Williams was the chance to get the Lakers’ top-5 protected first-round pick. At 13-40, the Lakers are headed for the lottery this June. Looking at it linearly, the Sixers gave up the No. 11 pick of the 2013 draft for possibly the No. 6 pick in the 2015 draft. Then it’s top-3 protected the next two years, then unprotected after that. Was it worth it? “It is impossibly hard to get your hands on a pick that at least has the chance to be a high lottery pick,” Hinkie said. “It’s very rare that they move and because of that, we considered it and decided it was the best way to move our program forward.” … “It’s not about Michael at all. I think Michael has a very bright future in this league, and I think will do quite well and we wish him the best,” Hinkie explained. “It’s still necessary for someone to look at the tough decisions we have to make to try to move our program forward.”
But then, Hinkie simply explained one big factor behind the trade of Carter-Williams. From Tom Moore of Calkins Media.
Hinkie: ‘For us to be among the best teams, you have to be able to shoot from 3.’ #Sixers — Tom Moore (@tmoore76ers) February 20, 2015
It’s no secret how bad Carter-Williams is at shooting the rock. It’s also no secret that Carter-Williams won the Rookie of the Year award in one of the weakest draft classes in recent NBA memory with about 15 of the 60 guys drafted doing anything worth mentioning for their current NBA teams. The Sixers are rolling the dice though, they’re giving up a player that they already have and started to develop for a pick, which might not come this year or next year or the year after that. Carter-Williams does have time though. He’s always a threat for a triple-double and that might increase now playing with improved players. He won’t have to take as many shots, which will help his percentages, his assists will go up and he’ll still be a scrappy force to get rebounds with his big, lenky frame standing at 6’7. Carter-Williams will now be in the thick of a playoff race, leading a Bucks team that is over achieving by leaps and bounds and will try to make some noise. The future is now in Milwaukee and gets even brighter when they get Jabari Parker back from his injury, which means next season, the Bucks might be even better.
