Fan sampling on trade is mixed

THE SAM HINKIE era has officially hit the fan.

In what was supposed to be a rather pedestrian 2013 NBA draft for the Sixers, the new general manager shocked fans and analysts alike.

The Sixers traded All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday to the New Orleans Pelicans, along with their second pick in this year's second round, for the sixth pick, Nerlens Noel, and a protected first-round pick in the 2014 draft. Noel was projected by some to be the first pick in the draft but slipped down to sixth.

Just five picks later, the Sixers selected guard Michael Carter-Williams from Syracuse with the 11th pick to try to fill the void left with the departure of Holiday.

It is not every day that a team trades away its franchise player on draft night, but that is what Hinkie and the Sixers did.

With attendance and interest on the decline, and the team falling into the abyss, management decided it was time to shake things up, and that's exactly what they did.

Sixers fans around Philadelphia reacted on Twitter, and other social media rapidly and frequently. Reaction from fans was mixed, but one thing was consistent: It was time for a change.

"They did something that nobody really expected," said Sixers fan Teddy Bailey. "Who is going to trade the face of the franchise, the 23-year-old star player Jrue Holiday, at the NBA draft for a rookie? I'm not sure what to make of it as of right now."

"There will always be mixed reviews," said Rich O'Donnell, a recent La Salle graduate. "It is interesting that we did not see this coming at all. [Hinkie] was really quiet and didn't really say that much. I guess we'll see how it plays out."

The move is certainly bold, and is something that has not happened for the Sixers on draft night for some time with the Sixers organization. The move itself will get mixed reviews, but the fact that the move was made sits well some of the fan base.

"They did something," Bailey added. "It wasn't the typical Sixers pick where they get 'their guy' and leave it at that. You have to give credit where credit is due. [Hinkie] really made an important change."

Bailey and O'Donnell, like the majority of the fan base, agree that a move of some sort was needed. That's where the agreement ends in the move.

"I feel like it was a pretty good deal," O'Donnell said. "They got, what was before the draft, a consensus No. 1 pick, even though he is coming off a knee injury. Plus they have New Orleans' pick for next year. They could end up with a home run next year."

"I don't like it right now because I don't think he is proven," Bailey said. "One year at Kentucky and knee injuries doesn't really show me that he is an NBA-ready player. It's going to be tough to get over Jrue Holiday leaving, but you have to make these changes. The Sixers are burying themselves even deeper, which is hard at this point, or they are building a team."

Whether they are digging a deeper hole, or making strides forward, the next move is clear. They need a head coach.