During the three seasons in which Sam Hinkie steered the 76ers ship serenely into icebergs, the strategy was both obvious and intentional. He wanted the team to play badly enough to accrue high draft picks. In that, if in no other tangible way, it was a successful albeit painful course.
On Thursday night, after a season in which both Hinkie and the premium on losing were gone, the Sixers again hold the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. It will be the fourth consecutive draft in which the Sixers have selected among the top three and the second straight time they get the top pick.