Days after the 2014 NBA draft, after the 76ers selected Joel Embiid with the No. 3 overall pick, their head coach offered what seemed at the time a fascinating hypothetical.
Over the two subsequent years, as everyone has waited for the navicular bone in Embiid's right foot to heal fully, that draft has always been framed as the greatest what-if of Sam Hinkie's tenure as the team's general manager. What if the Sixers had ended up with the No. 1 pick instead? Easy answer: They would have selected Andrew Wiggins - another prospective superstar but one without the risk that Embiid presented.