Many opponents of the Sixers’ plan/process/Ponzi scheme pointed to the team trading reigning Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams last year for the Lakers’ then-top-5 (now top-3) protected first round pick as an example of why the team has no intent to eventually win. “It’s kicking the can down the road,” people said. “They dealt the one bright spot on the team,” others said. While those who steadfastly (and perhaps somewhat blindly) stood by the team pointed out that MCW wasn’t a shooter, didn’t fit the team, wasn’t going to pan out, etc. Yet as we rolled into 2015, writers still used the MCW trade as a point to show that the Sixers are losing on purpose or, worse, don’t know what they’re doing.

MCW was just benched in Milwaukee.

People were high on the Bucks before the season started. I even picked Jason Kidd for Coach of the Year. But the team has started poorly. They’re 6-11. Kidd is damn near assaulting referees. And he just benched both “former Rookie of the Year” MCW and former second overall pick Jabari Parker.

As Derek Bodner points out, it’s a huge shift from last year when the Bucks were seen as a young team on a meteoric rise. But even MCW can’t help but agree with the decision:

“The past couple games my play has been down. If I’m a coach, I wouldn’t start me either. Whatever minutes I get, I’m going to come in and try to help the team, cheer from the bench and try to cheer my teammates on.”

Yardbarker continues, not pulling any punches:


“The elephant in the room for the Bucks has been that Carter-Williams simply does not look like an NBA player right now. His jumper is still atrocious and he’s only magnifying the issue with poor shot selection. The Syracuse product’s point guard skills are still suspect in his third NBA season as well, as Carter-Williams has flashed some seriously deficient floor vision and decision-making in the open floor for Milwaukee this season.”

And MCW is still shooting better than he did as a Sixer. He’s shooting .417/.313/.711 (FG%/3P%/FT%) this season. During his Sixers career, those numbers were .396/.261/.683. His per-game totals are way down, however (9.8 PPG/3.3 RPG/4.6 APG/1.1 SPG– all career lows). All advanced stats – win shares, VORP, offensive and defensive plus/minus, and turnover percentage – are much worse. So you can continue to criticize Sam Hinkie all you want. There’s plenty of ammo available. But using MCW is like firing a blank from the end of Milwaukee’s bench.

[h/t reader Jeff]