The Sam Hinkie era in Philadelphia has been known for asset accumulation, player movement and a whole lot of losses.
In this time, the Philadelphia 76ers have accumulated an NBA-worst 102 more losses than wins (37-139). They have suited up 49 players since Hinkie's first season in charge in 2013-14, most in the league, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
The 76ers (0-12) also have the NBA's three longest multiseason losing streaks in this time. They enter Friday night's game against the Hornets five losses from breaking a record held by the 2013-14 76ers and the post-LeBron James, 2010-11 Cavaliers for most consecutive losses across seasons (26), and they are seven defeats from breaking the 2009-10 Nets' record for most losses to begin a season (18).
Those streaks appear well within reach. Friday's matchup begins a six-game road stretch on which the 76ers have a less than 20 percent chance to win in each individual game (according to our Basketball Power Index) and a roughly 43 percent chance to lose all of them.
Why the 76ers are so bad
The 76ers’ team salary is just south of $60 million, but only $18.5 million of that has seen the court this season: three players on first-round rookie contracts (Jahlil Okafor, Nerlens Noel and Nik Stauskas) and nine second-rounders or undrafted players making between the rookie minimum and just more than $1 million.
The 76ers' cap includes $25.9 million going to players no longer on the team (including a combined $22 million to JaVale McGee and Gerald Wallace in deals that cleared cap space for other teams), and another $4.6 million is being taken up by the contract of injured big man Joel Embiid. Another $10.8 million is going to Carl Landry, Kendall Marshall and Tony Wroten, and all of those players have been held out with injuries so far this season.
The Cavaliers' league-leading team salary is about six times more than the combined salaries of the 76ers players who have taken the court, and these Philadelphia players would be only 26.5 percent of the way to the salary cap if the $18.5 million figure were the team's actual salary figure. In sum, nine of the 12 players who have suited up are making a combined $7.6 million this season, and many of their contracts aren’t fully guaranteed for the entire season.
It's worth noting that 17 players make more this season than the combined salaries of the 76ers players who have taken the court this season: Kobe Bryant, Joe Johnson, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, LaMarcus Aldridge, Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan, Kevin Love, Brook Lopez, Blake Griffin and Paul Millsap.
But the future is bright
The strategy of the Hinkie front office has been to prioritize future value over current value in every decision, whether it's trading a proven point guard such as Jrue Holiday for Noel and a pick, selecting an injured Embiid or an international player such as Dario Saric a few years from coming to the United States or trading Michael Carter-Williams for yet another draft pick.
Despite the future nature of these trades, five lottery picks from the past three drafts are under team control, including the last two players selected No. 3 overall (Okafor and Embiid) as well as the No. 6 pick from 2013, Noel.
The 76ers could own up to four first-round draft picks in the 2016 draft (their own, the Lakers', the Heat's and the Thunder's), and they are also owed a Kings future first-rounder as well as a few potential pick swaps with the Kings and a host of second-rounders. With the possibility of adding Embiid and Saric as well as what are likely to be two high lottery picks (their own and the Lakers' top-three protected pick) next offseason, the talent level on the court next season could be much higher.