There definitely seemed to be an extremely strong consensus that Fultz was the #1 pick. Whether Ainge truly would have taken Tatum #1 or more saw the Tatum + pick option as a much better deal, we'll never know. It certainly goes down as one of the biggest fleeces in history, though.
Since new threads are good and this seems to be a topic of discussion across several threads, I think we should break out the Hinkie/Colangelo/Brand/Morey talk about how the Sixers accumulated some of the most promising trade assets and players in the NBA and have apparently squandered them all, never making it past the second round of the NBA playoffs.That 18-19 Philly team was on the brink and they just made one wrong decision after another.
The Sixers have experienced Shakespearian levels of comedy (Colangelo's burner accounts) and tragedy (Fultz losing his ability to shoot a basketball) since starting The Process back in 2013. My spark notes version of The Process is below:
2013-14
The Process begins. Hinkie begins to tear the roster down to its studs by trading away young all-star Jrue Holiday. Brett Brown is hired and the Sixers are historically awful, tying a record for longest losing streak.
2014-15
The bad season yields Joel Embiid who misses the year with a pre-draft injury. The Sixers are awful again.
2015-16
The Sixers draft Jahlil Okafor with the third overall pick. They also fleece Sacramento who was looking to dump Nik Stauskas to sign Rajon Rondo (more on that later). They start the year 1-26. Jerry Colangelo is hired above Hinkie.
2016-17
Hinkie quits instead of getting fired. Jerry hires his son Bryan who selects Ben Simmons first overall, but misses the entire season. The team is improved, but still finishes towards the bottom of the league.
2017-18
Swap rights with Sacramento allow them to move up to third overall. The Tatum/Fultz trade happens. Again a high Sixers pick misses much of his first season, as Fultz seemingly has completely lost his jump shot. The Sixers surge up the standings with Simmons and Embiid finally healthy. They lose to up-and-coming Celtics team with Terry Rozier.
2018-19
Colangelo is fired for his tweets. In-season trades bring in Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris who are both pending free agents. The Process, as we knew it, is over and the Sixers want to win now. They lose in agonizing fashion in seven games to the eventual champion Raptors in round 2.
2019-20
In their last season of cap flexibility before big contracts to their stars, the Sixers target Al Horford, re-sign Harris, and trade away Butler. They get swept in the bubble with Simmons injured. Brown is fired.
2020-21
Morey takes over. Tyrese Maxey joins the team. Ben Simmons refuses an open layup and never plays another game for the Sixers. They lose in seven to a mediocre Hawks team.
2021-22
Harden joins. Sixers surprisingly lose to the Heat in round 2 as Embiid misses action.
2022-23
You are here.
The Process begins. Hinkie begins to tear the roster down to its studs by trading away young all-star Jrue Holiday. Brett Brown is hired and the Sixers are historically awful, tying a record for longest losing streak.
2014-15
The bad season yields Joel Embiid who misses the year with a pre-draft injury. The Sixers are awful again.
2015-16
The Sixers draft Jahlil Okafor with the third overall pick. They also fleece Sacramento who was looking to dump Nik Stauskas to sign Rajon Rondo (more on that later). They start the year 1-26. Jerry Colangelo is hired above Hinkie.
2016-17
Hinkie quits instead of getting fired. Jerry hires his son Bryan who selects Ben Simmons first overall, but misses the entire season. The team is improved, but still finishes towards the bottom of the league.
2017-18
Swap rights with Sacramento allow them to move up to third overall. The Tatum/Fultz trade happens. Again a high Sixers pick misses much of his first season, as Fultz seemingly has completely lost his jump shot. The Sixers surge up the standings with Simmons and Embiid finally healthy. They lose to up-and-coming Celtics team with Terry Rozier.
2018-19
Colangelo is fired for his tweets. In-season trades bring in Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris who are both pending free agents. The Process, as we knew it, is over and the Sixers want to win now. They lose in agonizing fashion in seven games to the eventual champion Raptors in round 2.
2019-20
In their last season of cap flexibility before big contracts to their stars, the Sixers target Al Horford, re-sign Harris, and trade away Butler. They get swept in the bubble with Simmons injured. Brown is fired.
2020-21
Morey takes over. Tyrese Maxey joins the team. Ben Simmons refuses an open layup and never plays another game for the Sixers. They lose in seven to a mediocre Hawks team.
2021-22
Harden joins. Sixers surprisingly lose to the Heat in round 2 as Embiid misses action.
2022-23
You are here.