Losing is the New Winning: How the Sixers Can Follow the Hornets Model to Success

In theory, rebuilding an NBA team is pretty simple.  Draft a few high-effort guys, sign a couple of veterans, and hopefully land a big-name free agent, or draft the league's next transcendent talent.  However, in practice, it's not that easy.  My extensive experience playing "Association" mode in the NBA 2K franchise would make me the most successful GM in NBA history.  In every franchise, I follow my model, and within two to four years, the team is competing for a playoff berth.

The most recent actual team to follow something close to this model is the now Charlotte Hornets.  After finishing 7-59 in the 2011-2012 season, the then Bobcats finished as the worst team in NBA history.  After drafting defensive stud Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in the 2012 draft, the Bobcats finished the 2012-2013 season 21-61.

Ace in the (Buch)Holz

On Memorial Day 2010, I attended my first ever Red Sox game.  A Rochester, NY native, and coupled with being a 14 year old, I never had many opportunities to travel to Boston. But that year my mom finally gave in to my requests, and purchased tickets to the Memorial Day game against the Kansas City Royals. When we arrived at the stadium, the sun shined over Yawkey Way and I was in absolute awe.  I had never seen anything like it, including that many Red Sox fans in one place.  

I was ecstatic to find our seats along the first base line, with a beautiful view of the green monster. That day, Jon Lester was pitching, and during warm ups, new star pitcher Clay Buchholz was signing autographs.  Apprehensive and intimidated by the fans who seemed to know what they were doing, my mom urged me to get as close as I could, and eventually Clay spotted me and I threw my program down towards him.  He signed a picture of Dustin Pedroia and gave me a little smirk (Clay's picture was on the inside cover of the program, but I was happy nonetheless). That was it, I was hooked.  I framed the picture when I got home and admired it as any fourteen year old boy could.

Clay Buchholz during the Memorial
Day game in his breakout 2010 season.

It doesn't seem too long ago that Clay Buchholz was dominating opposing batters and was selected to his second All-Star game in 2013.  Buchholz looked like the best pitcher in baseball up until June, when he was sidelined with a neck injury, but seemed poised to return to form after the All-Star break.  Unfortunately, Buchholz hasn't regained his early 2013 form, and has become a major question mark for the ace-less Red Sox.