While Hinkie did gather a nice haul of assets (I was unaware of the Sixers’ impending ownership of those Kings’ picks), saying that Ben Simmons is the direct result of #TheProcess is flatly wrong. The NBA Draft Lottery looks at only current season records; it does not care that the Sixers’ have intentionally been bottom feeders for 3 years. They had a 25% shot at that #1 pick regardless of the years of tanking, no more no less. It just so happened that this year they hit the lottery and landed a nice prospect. In some years (cough cough 2013), that first pick is not worth much of anything; it’s a matter of the talent available.

The Sixers got lucky. Hinkie can’t be exalted for the bounce of a ping pong ball.