Report: Sam Hinkie Has, For All Intents and Purposes, Been Fired
We’re two days into the Jerry Colangelo era, and no one really seems sure about what it means yet. Above that, no one really knows what Colangelo’s actual job is. Is he consulting? Is he running the show? Is he basically the GM? We don’t know. Colangelo is carrying himself like a man in charge, but referred to the job as part-time and said he’ll remain living in Arizona. But according to some, that still means Sam Hinkie’s days are already numbered.
Tom Moore spoke to multiple sources who explained what Colangelo does, and how he’s likely to do it:
While there isn’t a whole lot Colangelo can do to make the 1-21 Sixers much better this season, the source said he believes Colangelo is capable of “coming in and changing the culture” right away.
“It’s his way or the highway,” said another league source. “He rules with an iron fist. He’s old school. He’s got an ego. When he was with the Suns, you did your job or you were gone. I don’t expect anything different now.”
Colangelo might add a veteran to give such a young team some on- and off-court guidance. He could take a longer look at trading one of the Sixers’ big men (perhaps Nerlens Noel) to help restore some roster balance.
How Sam Hinkie, who is in his third year as a first-time GM, fits into the equation going forward is unclear. Hinkie should still have some input, but he’s not calling the shots anymore. A Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer with his reputation/legacy on the line, Colangelo doesn’t accept a job like this to take orders from somebody else.
That certainly makes it sound like Colangelo is just straight-up in charge, which is problematic because of how it happened. If Joshua Harris decided this was a move the Sixers needed to make and then made it, fine. I might not agree (I honestly don’t know if I do since nothing changed yet), but it’s Harris’ prerogative. But that’s not how it happened, according to several reports, which stated that owners complained to Adam Silver about the Sixers not doing their part in revenue sharing, forcing the Commish to step in. That makes the whole thing feel a little dirty. But again, if Colangelo is advising, no big deal. What’s it mean for Hinkie, though?
“It’s clear (Hinkie) has, for all intents and purposes, been fired,” said the second source, comparing it to when Ed Snider hired Rod Thorn as team president in August 2010 and put Thorn in charge of then-GM Ed Stefanski (Harris fired Stefanski 14 months later).
Since the 76-year-old Colangelo lives in Phoenix and isn’t moving, could that mean he hires somebody he’s comfortable with to be a daily presence in Philadelphia? Son Bryan, a former two-time NBA Executive of the Year who has been out of the league for 2 1/2 seasons, would be one possibility.
“I know Bryan,” said the second source. “Bryan’s going to be involved” …
“I think the final straw was the (Jahlil Okafor situation),” said the first source.
Again, if this was Harris’ call, it’s fine. But, as it stands (if these sources are right), Adam Silver basically reached into the Sixers, fired Sam Hinkie, and may have him replaced with the son of a guy he knows because Jahlil Okafor punched some dudes and wasn’t suspended fast enough. That’s worse than anything David Stern did (except all those lotteries he probably fixed and that new basketball he tried to bring in that failed), and sets a dangerous precedent. If enough owners are riled up about a team, now they know they have the power to get someone in a different front office fired. That’s not good, but it might be Hinkie’s new legacy.