Philly Sports Jabronis
Sam Hinkie might as well have an S on his chest and reside in a colossal, hidden ice palace.
The Sixers GM, who we are renaming Super-Hinkie for the time being, has been residing in an analytical fortress of solitude since taking over the reins of the franchise. He emerged briefly, on draft night, to pound his chest about the blockbuster deal that sent Jrue Holiday packing and netted uber-prospect Nerlens Noel. However, the team has sine denied reports that Spurs assistant Brett Brown will be named the team’s next head coach.
So here we sit, just a week away from the start of summer league play in Orlando, with the Sixers mired in an all-out rebuilding project, still rudderless as the longest coaching search in NBA history reaches its second month.
Hinkie did crawl out to check his shadow Thursday at a summer league practice, but shooed away reporters quicker than a used condom wrapper.
“Yeah, it’s the Fourth of July,” Hinkie told Philly.com. “We are here just watching these kids practice.”
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the Fourth of July. It’s the American thing to do, like drawing wieners on your passed out friend’s face, but the holier-than-thou act won’t fly in Philly. Fans and media are trained to see past the bullshit, no matter how foggy those shit-stained rose-colored glasses are.
The truth of the matter is there aren’t many top candidates left.
Brian Shaw is in Denver. Doc Rivers went to the LA Clippers in exchange for a first-round draft pick. Lionel Hollins is likely too expensive. And Brad Stevens — arguably the Chip Kelly of basketball — splashed down unexpectedly in Boston. If it isn’t Brett Brown, then what is on the horizon?
Hopefully, it’s not a retread — with all due respect — like George Karl or Stan Van Gundy. It’s time for the Sixers to start looking outside the box, way outside the box. The Golden State Warriors did their best Ron Jeremy impression (think about it) when they pulled Mark Jackson out of the broadcast booth.
Jackson had no formal training as an NBA coach, yet he’s proving to be a master motivator. The Warriors won 24 more games (from 23 wins to 47) in his second season, finishing second in the Pacific and advancing all the way to the Western Conference semifinals. They’ll be a force to be reckoned with again in 2013-14.
Risk meet reward. With that in mind, here are a few out-of-the-box candidates the Sixers should look at:
» Steve Kerr: He always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Whether sitting courtside for play-by-play with Marv Albert or appearing on the wing for a wide-open trey with Michael Jordan’s Bulls, he’s a proven winner. As a TNT broadcaster, Kerr’s analysis is usually spot-on and insightful. He knows basketball, especially the X’s and O’s, plus he has front-office experience from his days as Suns GM. Kerr is at least worth a look.
» Shaka Smart: Two years removed from VCU’s improbable Final Four run, this might be the best chance to pry the 36-year-old away from campus. Yes, he signed an eight-year extension in 2011 but we know college contracts are combustible. Smart is known for grind-you-down defense, a philosophy known simply as havoc — it could bring out the best in a team loaded with youth. Smart is also energetic and youthful, something that would play well with the fan base.
» Eric Snow: Don’t laugh. Snow was a disaster on TV broadcasts. It just wasn’t his calling. On the court, he was a cool customer. He kept that 2001 Finals squad in line, not with his shooting but with strong leadership. Snow, who penned a book called “Leading High Performers: The Guide to Being a Fast, Fluid and Flexible Leader,” looks and acts like a head coach. There’s a reason Larry Brown hired him as his top assistant at SMU. Brown is grooming him for big things. Strike while the iron isn’t hot. Point guards traditionally make a fluid transition to the bench.
