Sixers gamble has shades of 1986?

IT HAS BEEN 27 years since the Sixers have made a big splash on draft night.

Last night, Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie, in his first move with the club (he has yet to choose a coach), rolled the dice by trading franchise player Jrue Holiday and a 2013 second-round pick to the New Orleans Pelicans for Kentucky's Nerlens Noel (who was the No. 6 pick) and a 2014 protected first-round pick. And with the Sixers' own pick, the 11th, Hinkie chose Syracuse's Michael Carter-Williams.

They are taking a chance that Noel's left torn ACL will heal properly and that Carter-Williams can replace Holiday, an All-Star, at the point.

The last time the Sixers decided they needed a makeover on draft day, they came out of it looking like a Hollywood star's mug shot after they were arrested for DUI. And the hangover lasted well into the next decade.

Sorry to remind you, but on June 16, 1986, the Sixers traded the No. 1 pick, which was Brad Daugherty, to Cleveland for journeyman forward Roy Hinson, who was gone less than 2 years later.

The Sixers followed that by trading Moses Malone, Terry Catledge, a 1986 first-round pick and a 1988 first-round pick for Jeff Ruland and Cliff Robinson. Ruland, with damaged knees, played in five games, starting two, in 1986-87, and didn't play again until 1991-92. Robinson was an underachieving, undermotivated forward who played in 131 games in three seasons. He was out of the league by 1992.

Hopefully, Noel's knee isn't chronic and Carter-Williams can find a jump shot and about 15 pounds of muscle.