January 10, 2016
There were a lot of good movies released during the holiday season, and while I can’t affect any Rotten Tomatoes scores, “The Big Short” was certainly one of them. A story about the people who saw the 2008 financial crisis coming, the film does a solid job explaining the factors that led up to the housing market crashing while still managing to stay entertaining enough.
In the movie, Christian Bale plays a real-life hedge fund manager named Michael Burry. Long story short, Burry bet against the housing market when the idea seemed ludicrous to the rest of the financial world. This strategy caused his investors to lose money for a couple of years. These investors weren’t happy at all, until those short-term losses eventually turned into huge gains when Burry’s strategy paid off.
Sounds familiar, right? In a column, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst makes the comparison between Burry and Sam Hinkie:
When Burry set up his investment he had perfectly read the market, but he didn't have a perfect way to manage his investors for all those miserable days before everything reached fruition. In the early days, his investors had to watch their balances shrink as others won. He was more convinced in the outcome of the timeline than anything in his career, but that line of time itself turned sharp. Burry developed a bleeding ulcer.
And unlike Burry, Hinkie’s power can be revoked. Again, here is Windhorst:
The difference between Burry and Hinkie, though, is Burry had ironclad agreements with his investors that enabled him to have total autonomy. All they could do was make threats, and their frustration during "the process" was generally known only to a small community. Hinkie serves at the pleasure of his bosses, men who could be mocked nationally and personally after every embarrassing loss by the 76ers.
I don’t think the comparison is perfect, but from a personality standpoint, it’s interesting. Was Josh Harris really prepared for the short-term effects of the strategy that Hinkie and the ownership originally agreed to?
He still might have been. While the Ish Smith and Elton Brand moves scream JERRY COLANGELO, I’m not sure they alone signal a long-term course change.
The most disappointing rookies and sophomores this season: Steve Ilardi and Jeremias Engelmann, ESPN Insider
The Sixers have three players (Jahlil Okafor, Nerlens Noel, and Nik Stauskas) highlighted in this article, which is what it is. The team’s most important young players rank at the bottom of Engelmann’s real-plus minus statistic. Okafor is dead last among all active NBA players:
While Okafor is averaging nearly 20 points and nine boards per 36 minutes of play, those numbers are the NBA equivalent of empty calories. Philly has been outscored by a staggering 19.2 points per 100 possessions with Okafor on the court.
Ish Smith is making the 76ers look like an actual NBA team: Jason Patt, SB Nation
The Ish-mas revival gets some national recognition:
For now, it's progress to see the Sixers operate like a normal bad team instead of an all-time horrible one. Perhaps some tangible improvement can help them in free agency when they look to take a major step forward next offseason. Who would've thought it would be Ish Smith to spearhead that movement?
Likes and Dislikes: Richaun Holmes Emerging for Sixers: Derek Bodner, Philly Mag
Like I wrote about this week, Bodner highlights Richaun Holmes’ ability to finish around the rim:
Holmes has shown flashes of a perimeter jump shot, but it's been his work near the rim that has made him effective. He has good hands, can catch the ball in traffic, elevates quickly around the rim, has the strength to play through contact, and has good touch around the hoop with either hand. This makes him a threat off of pick and rolls, offensive rebounds, and cuts to the hoop, all of which he's utilized in the last two games.
Ranking the potential Ben Simmons destinations: Chad Ford, ESPN
We went ESPN-heavy this week, but the WWL brought the content. Out of 16 teams, Ford ranked the Sixers fifth by potential fit:
The truth is a player such as Ingram might actually be the best fit given the team's current personnel, but his lack of strength lengthens his developmental curve. Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie needs a player who can impact the game right now -- and that's Simmons.
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann
