March 28, 2017

What they’re saying: Miami writer says Sixers stole ‘The Process’ from Heat

By Rich Hofmann
PhillyVoice Contributor

Just when you think that you have seen or read all of the takes, the Internet always seems to find a way to surprise. Take yesterday for example, when a Miami-based writer named Josh Baumgard did the honors by going after Sixers fans.

Baumgard believes that the Sixers and Joel Embiid stole the word “process” from Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat. And he sounds legitimately angry about the whole thing:

I’d say Embiid should be suspended for merely attempting to trademark “the process” — the gall of that man — but he’d have to be actually playing basketball for that to make any sense. I don’t know if it’s the bitter cold numbing your brains or perhaps those overrated cheesesteaks are destroying y’all at a cellular level, but it’s time to learn some history.
It’s pretty simple: Erik Spoelstra invented “the process.”

Erik Spoelstra, on growing closer with the Big 3: "I've had lunch with everybody on the team. That process will also take time."
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) September 27, 2010

No, really. Check out these timestamps.

Spoelstra says Orlando and Boston "look right now in December form." Heat has to catch up, but won't rush the process with D-Wade.
— Joseph Goodman (@JoeGoodmanJr) October 12, 2010

Later on, he asks this question:

Do you think Miami Heat Beat would sell a “trust the process” shirt with Spo’s face on it if he hadn’t injected the phrase into the NBA?

From the genius of @cch1125... pic.twitter.com/gk3NzsLSCM
— Miami Heat Beat (@miaheatbeat) March 3, 2017

Well, considering those shirts didn’t come out until seven years after Spoelstra (an excellent coach, by the way) started using that word Baumgard believes he has full ownership of, I think we can assume there wouldn’t be any if Sixers fans and Joel Embiid didn’t popularize “Trust The Process.”

Thing is, nobody really cares who “injected the phrase into the NBA.” And judging by those shirts, Miami doesn’t either.

Unfortunately for any other overprotective Heat fans, even if Spoelstra did first apply the word “process” heavily to sports (doubtful), he certainly didn’t bring it into the mainstream. Philadelphia is going to keep primarily associating the Sixers and Embiid with The Process, as is everyone else who follows the NBA.

In case you missed it at PhillyVoice

1. HINKIEEEE: The Kings are reportedly interested in the GM who fleeced them a few years ago.
2. Big Baller Brand: Does LaVar Ball scare Sixers fans away from potentially drafting Lonzo?
3. Embiid surgery: The Sixers are saying that The Process (take that, Miami!) will be back on the court sometime this summer. That remains to be seen.

Other Sixers news, notes and analysis from around the web:

Ranking The NBA's Seven Most Hopeless Teams: Ben Golliver, Sports Illustrated

Among the NBA’s worst seven teams, Golliver is highest on the Sixers. He called Ben Simmons “the most under-discussed impact player in the league”:

Those worried that Embiid will perpetually battle injuries are right to raise the possibility of serious heartbreak: Indeed, Philadelphia’s short-term outlook is entirely reliant on Embiid graduating from the training wheels of minutes limits and rest nights. While the Sixers’ newish front office regime is still a wild card and Simmons still must prove the prep school hype was justified, this franchise turned the corner in terms of hopelessness during its strong January push. There’s a lot more work to be done but the outline of a team with a very high ceiling is approaching on the horizon.

Despite public denial from Kings, owner Vivek Ranadive interested in hiring new exec to run franchise: Adrian Wojnarowski, The Vertical

Some more good Hinkie and Kings details in here:

Ranadive has had conversations with Hinkie since his 76ers resignation in the spring and hoped to start down a path of hiring him to run the Kings, league sources said.
Hinkie had been cautious in his interest with Sacramento, league sources said, but GM jobs are rare in availability, and as dysfunctional as Ranadive’s tenure has been, there’s no guarantee that Hinkie will have the chance to take over another franchise.

NBA Rookie Power Rankings: James Herbert, CBS Sports

Dario Saric is No. 1:

I thought about dropping Saric out of the top spot because he hasn’t shot that well in the past week. The great thing about Saric, though, is that his overall effect on the Sixers doesn’t have that much to do with his shooting. He pushes the ball in transition, facilitates in the halfcourt and competes on defense. He also had one of his better games of the season on Sunday, keying a rally to beat the Celtics.

And finally, here is a video of Ben Simmons dunking and his foot looking pretty healthy in The Process. I have seen him dunk before in recent practices, but they have all been pretty standard moves. This is definitely another level: