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Less than 100 miles separate the Nets and the 76ers, but although they are geographically close, they could not be further philosophically.
Trust the process rather than the culture. Tank or develop. While the Sixers turned the tank into a form of art – one that not only worked for them, but was also so imitated that it forced the NBA to fine-tune the lottery – the Nets show to the league that their path can work too.
"Most players did not really respect tanking for so many years and how they did it. Obviously, you saw the result, "said Jared Dudley. "If you are a young team and [you can get] a Zion [Williamson] or a player like Anthony Davis or Kyrie [Irving]it's a unique player in a generation and you know you're not going to be good, that's understandable. I just think it's three or four years old.
It took three long years to trust the process of former general manager Sam Hinkie, with a score of 47-199 at Sixers. But they drafted Joel Embiid in third place in 2014 and Ben Simmons, No. 1 two years later, marking a slight rise to 28-54 after Hinkie and his team split and reached critical mass – and the playoffs – fifth and sixth years.
The Nets have not taken advantage of their own choices, as former GM Billy King traded three first-round picks and exchange rights for a fourth in Boston. They did not have the luxury of tanking either. Once they began the culture of preaching, they could not change streams after an early season of 8 to 18 years.
"Let's be honest, Sean Marks and Kenny Atkinson told [the media] and told us to build, "said Dudley of the current GM and coach. "To be able to do a 360 on that you lose credibility around the league, you lose credibility especially with the class of free big-time agents."
"At age 8-18, we did not talk about tanking," said Atkinson. "Hey, should we start taking the lead" … none of this. It helped everyone to focus. We do not have to worry about these others [noise]. … I really think it helped us focus. That was part of the reason we were successful. "
The Nets may have taken a step forward to prove to the rest of the NBA that their path may also succeed.
"It's certainly possible," Spencer Dinwiddie said. "I'm biased because I'm part of this organization and I was part of the trend and I loved every second.
"But maybe we opened minds to building a team other than trying to get a high draft pick or get Kevin Durant."
The 76ers used both top picks and veteran superstars to build their formidable start of five. Since 2013, they have had seven lottery choices, including two No. 1 and one No. 3. They then traded against four-star player Jimmy Butler, turned to Tobias Harris and signed one of the most great shooters in the history of JJ Redick.
Although the Nets were able to chase fat free agents such as Durant or Irving this summer, they were up to now the opposite of the 76ers. Devoid of mediocre choices, the Nets character is a set of neglected or underrated players with tokens on their shoulders and evidence to prove.
"I think there are a lot of teams, a lot of general managers, they will see what Sean has done here and they will like it," said Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. "They will love what they did, because we are a group of guys who work hard to try to improve our teammates. It's great to watch. "
Atkinson spoke of building a Philadelphia-based rivalry based on geography. It might as well depend on philosophy.
"Is not that the biggest thing about the NBA? They did it in one way and we did the other, "Atkinson said. "It's the beauty of the NBA. There are many different ways to peel a cat. We took our particular situation and took another approach and we play against each other here. That's good. "
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