Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Hinkie, Celtics

It’s been eight weeks since the Sixers last walked off the court victorious, and while this stretch has been brutal for the city and the fans, the team still eyes a much brighter future, writes Tom Sunnergren of ESPN.com. When looking through their crystal ball to the 2014/15 season, the team envisions their future roster stockpiled with the raw talent and star power to rival any organization in the league. With Michael Carter-Williams running the show, Nerlens Noel as an elite rim protector, and their 2014 lottery pick playing heavy minutes, the team hopes this season’s record-breaking futility will quickly become a distant memory, writes Sunnergren.

More from the Atlantic Division:

  • Despite all the losing, Sixers GM Sam Hinkie‘s belief in his plan to rebuild the team remains as strong as it was during his introductory news conference last year when he laid out his intentions, writes Mike Sielski of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • The Sixers can look to the Rockets for hope that a brighter future is possible, writes Bob Cooney of The Philadelphia Daily News. When Hinkie was an assistant to Rockets GM Daryl Morey, the team traded for James Harden and then signed Dwight Howard as a free agent, and this helped turn a team that had missed the playoffs three straight seasons into a contender, writes Cooney. They were also able to surround their two stars with talented role-players, and it’s this template the Sixers hope to follow beginning this offseason.
  • Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com examines the Celtics‘ use of the mid-level exception this season, and how the team might utilize it this summer when building its roster for next season.
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