Philadelphia 76ers: A full timeline of the failed “Process” and where it went wrong

A decade-long process that saw the Philadelphia 76ers tank and rebuild and become a home where stars come and go.

The Process. The nickname for the 2023 MVP Joel Embiid has stayed in the ears of NBA fans, players, and front office alike since 2013 whenever former 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie took over and immediately dealt rising all-star guard Jrue Holiday to the New Orleans Pelicans for picks.

This first trade-for-picks was just the first of many in the “tank years” for the 76ers. Here is the full timeline of The Process.

The Philadelphia 76ers start the Tank [2013]

Trading away Holiday meant that the Hinkie got his guy in athletic defensive center Nerlens Noel (6th pick) from the Pelicans. However, the trade for the big man was hesitant for most as he was coming off an ACL injury just months prior to the draft.

With the 11th pick, Hinkie got Michael Carter-Williams, a tall 6-foot-6 guard from Syracuse who was seen as an immediate replacement for Holiday. The rebuild of The Process was fully put in place when Hinkie overhauled the roster, keeping only six players from the previous year. However, the season’s first three games saw Philadephia come out 3-0, including an opening victory over the defending champs Miami Heat.

Carter-Williams led the way, with an absurd debut stat line: 22 points, 12 assists, nine steals, and seven rebounds. Just as it looked like The Process would be complete sooner rather than later, the team proceeded to lose 26 games straight, a franchise record, and was just short of breaking the all-time losing record. The Philly Faithful saw their team go 19-63, the first of many losing seasons that were all a part of The Process.