The Philadelphia 76ers’ journey through the past decade is an odd tale, highlighted by resilience, missteps, and relentless chase for a championship, centered around what became famously known as The Process.
This term summarizes the franchise’s strategic rebuild, a decision that would reshape the team’s identity, fortunes, and reputation in the NBA.
This regime would begin following their 2012 second-round playoff exit.
The roster at the time featured key players like Andre Iguodala, Jrue Holiday, and Lou Williams, who had shown potential but fell short against stronger teams in the league such as the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat.
Recognizing the need for an overhaul, the franchise began a team rebuild, which at the time, was one of the boldest in NBA history.
A key moment was the franchise’s rebuild was their involvement in the NBA’s largest trade, where fourteen players swapped teams.
Philadelphia traded away Iguodala and Nikola Vučević, acquiring Jason Richardson and Andrew Bynum.
Bynum was known as one of the top centers in the league at the time and was expected to lead the team defensively and assist inside scoring.
Unfortunately, Bynum would soon pick up an injury, and never played a single game for Philadelphia, leaving the trade as a significant setback.
Following the 2012-13 season, Sam Hinkie would be promoted to the team’s general manager position.
Hinkie’s vision was clear: embrace a full rebuild that prioritized high draft picks and roster flexibility, even if it meant enduring several losing seasons.
His strategy involved trading away established players like Jrue Holiday and deliberately losing to secure top draft positions in the lottery.
Philadelphia would be rewarded for their efforts, or more so lack of them, with the selection of Michael Carter-Williams 11th overall in the 2013 NBA draft.
The young star looked promising winning the 2013-14 NBA Rookie of the Year with averages of 16.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists.
Williams would beat players out like CJ McCollum, Steven Adams, and eventual NBA champion Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Even after shockingly trading Williams to the Milwaukee Bucks in his second year, Philadelphia’s record that season was among the worst in the league, which allowed them to secure the second overall pick in the next year’s draft.
This pick would be used to select Joel Embiid, a highly talented but injury-prone big man.
Embiid’s first two seasons were riddled with various health problems, delaying his NBA debut, but once healthy, many fans agreed the wait may have been worth it.
Despite promising individual performances, the team struggled, culminating in the 2015-16 NBA season, where they set an NBA record with 28 consecutive losses, finishing 10-72.
Hinkie’s tenure ended with his resignation 7,000-word letter, reflecting his commitment to The Process.
With Hinkie’s departure, Bryan Colangelo took over as GM, inheriting a roster built through Hinkie’s draft picks.
The team was awarded the first overall pick in back-to-back drafts (2016 and 2017) selecting Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz, respectively.
Simmons, despite injury setbacks like many others in Philadelphia’s history, showed versatility, winning the 2017-18 NBA Rookie of the Year upon his delayed debut.
On the topic of delayed seasons, Embiid established himself as an NBA star, making All-Star teams and leading the team to a 52-30 record in 2018.
However, not all was smooth sailing. Fultz’s shooting had considerably declined, later being down to his diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome, which became a major issue.
Despite these setbacks, Philadelphia’s core of Embiid and Simmons showed promise, creating hopes of a deep playoff run.
With their high hopes, Colangelo lacked patience and made a bold move by trading for Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris, aiming to become a championship contender.
This approach would go on to fail as chemistry issues and injuries began to surface. This would all lead to Jimmy Butler being traded to the Miami Heat over Harris, a move many still question today.
The situation worsened when Ben Simmons refused to play after being blamed for the team’s loss in the 2021 NBA playoffs.
This led to a blockbuster trade, bringing James Harden to Philadelphia following his stint with the Brooklyn Nets.
The hopes of a new championship were high, but the team’s 2022 playoff run ended in disappointment, being eliminated by the Jimmy Butler-led Miami Heat, looking for revenge following his 2019 exit.
Tensions grew, and Harden soon left for the Los Angeles Clippers, leaving Embiid as the team’s top star.
In the seasons that followed, injuries plagued Embiid which earned him the title of “injury prone”, and the team struggled to find its footing even with new star Tyrese Maxey.
Philadelphia attempted to improve its roster in the 2024 NBA off-season with the acquisition of Paul George, but the move backfired as George’s decline contributed to a poor record.
Today, Philadelphia remains in a state of chaos, still dealing with the long-term consequences of Hinkie’s game plan.
Philadelphia’s tanking strategy was a gamble that reshaped the franchise’s identity.
While it produced star players like Embiid and for a short time Simmons, it also exposed the franchise to years of instability and unmet expectations.
The lessons learned from this bold strategy highlight how rebuilding in the NBA is a difficult, unpredictable process that requires patience, luck, and a bit of fortune.
Thirteen seasons later, the city continues to hope that The Process will someday lead to the ultimate goal: an NBA championship.
