If you’ve been a 76ers fan for long enough, you must be familiar with the term’s mantra, “trust the process.” This rallying cry was born from the strategic mind of former General Manager Sam Hinkie, who took the reins in 2013 with a bold vision to transform the 76ers into championship contenders. And to do this, he knew sacrifices had to be made for the team’s long-term success. The first collateral damage to “the process” was then-first-time All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday. On the night of his first draft as GM, Hinkie made a bold move by trading Holiday to the New Orleans Pelicans for Nerlens Noel and the top five protected Pelicans picks for 2014.

On a recent episode of The Draymond Green Show, the Boston Celtics guard star spilled the beans on the abrupt trade. “It was like a 30-second conversation. I never met him [Sam Hinkie] or talked to him before. At this point, I don’t even know what bro look like,” reflected Holiday. “I think I was the start of the process,” he added with a wry smile. Agreeing with Holiday, Green questioned the efficacy of Hinkie’s theory: “You are the start of the process. I’m just not sure the process ever worked.”

Green further went on to criticize the “process,” stating, “So you got Joel [Embiid]. Everything else outside of that process didn’t work.” While Hinkie’s lose-at-all-costs philosophy did lead to the acquisition of skilled players like Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, second-rounders Richaun Holmes and Jerami Grant, and a trove of draft picks, the strategy failed to translate into tangible success for the team. Despite boasting a lineup featuring Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, Jimmy Butler, and J. J. Redick at one point, they fell short of their championship aspirations. But will that change this year?

The 76ers feel Joel Embiid’s absence

Despite a drama-filled start to the season, the 76ers were on a tear in the beginning on the back of monster performances by Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Embiid was averaging 35.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.8 blocks per contest and was on pace to win back-to-back MVP honors. But that was until Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga accidentally landed on his left leg during a scramble for a loose ball in the team’s 119-107 victory on Jan. 30. The crash resulted in a meniscus flap tear in his left knee, which led to last month’s surgery.

In Embiid’s absence over the past 26 games, the Sixers have struggled, posting a 10-16 record, with their offensive rating plummeting from 121.4 to 108.1 without him. However, a week ago, NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark updated that Embiid is ramping up his workouts and is expected to return in 2–3 weeks at the earliest. With the 76ers currently in the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference, can they regain their form in time for the playoffs? Let us know in the comments!

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