The 10-man rotation, starring what the 76ers are doing and when they’ll stop doing it
A look around the league and the Web that covers it. It’s also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren’t always listed in order of importance. That’s for you, dear reader, to figure out.
C: ESPN the Magazine. Pablo Torre offers the most in-depth and illuminating view to date of the Philadelphia 76ers’ rebuilding process — what they’re betting on, why they’re betting on it, how general manager Sam Hinkie and coach Brett Brown got their gigs, and more. A revealing look at all the development-focused churning going on below the surface in the City of Brotherly Love that offers plenty to chew on for those who love and loathe analytics alike.
PF: SB Nation. But after the Sixers moved Michael Carter-Williams and K.J. McDaniels, two players who actually seemed to have tangible NBA ability rather than the promise of developing it, before Thursday’s trade deadline, Mike Prada wonders when Hinkie and company actually intend to start building something rather than just collecting lottery tickets.
SF: PistonPowered. Patrick Hayes believes you should believe in Reggie Jackson as an important addition for the Detroit Pistons, and I like how much he believes it.
SG: Sports Illustrated. Fantastic stuff from Rob Mahoney on how Wesley Matthews transformed himself from an undrafted rookie into the unsung hero of the Portland Trail Blazers, a team with title aspirations thanks in part to all the contributions that he makes while nobody’s paying attention.
PG: NBA.com. Ian Thomsen goes long with Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge on faith, family, luck, basketball intelligence, the proper pursuit of a rebuild and the limitlessness of love, among other things.
6th: Talking Points. An interesting look from Tim Kawakami at how the Golden State Warriors’ front office makes decisions, a multifaceted process that features a lot of viewpoints and a lot of dialogue and, thus far, has experienced a pretty solid amount of success.
7th: Posting and Toasting. This “Glossar’e” — an earnest attempt at encapsulating and understanding the five years that Amar’e Stoudemire spent with the New York Knicks, a period that has now come to an end — is a wonderful example of what this Knicks-focused blog does so well. Heart and humor and a healthy sense of self-deprecation.
8th: Bleacher Report. Howard Beck on how the NBPA’s rejection of the NBA’s “cap smoothing” proposal represents the first real sign of league-vs.-players tension in Commissioner Adam Silver’s reign, and could set the stage for a labor battle to come in the summer of 2017.
9th: Sports Illustrated. Speaking of labor issues, I liked this rundown by sports law expert Michael McCann of a handful of issues that could crop up now that LeBron James has become the first vice president of the players’ union, joining president Chris Paul atop the NBPA ahead of coming negotiations with the league.
10th: ESPN.com. J.A. Adande on how “star players missed an opportunity to put the spotlight back on the issues surrounding [Eric] Garner’s death” — issues at the forefront of many players’ minds just two months ago — during All-Star Weekend in New York City.
– – – – – – –
Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
Stay connected with Ball Don’t Lie on Twitter @YahooBDL, “Like” BDL on Facebook and follow BDL’s Tumblr for year-round NBA talk, jokes and more.
