Sam Hinkie

Samuel Hinkie
Born	Netherlands
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, former basketball executive
Years active	2005–2016 (NBA executive)
Known for	General manager of the Philadelphia 76ers (2013–2016)

Samuel Hinkie (born December 1977) is an American entrepreneur and former executive in professional basketball who held the position of general manager for the Philadelphia 76ers in the National Basketball Association (NBA) between 2013 and 2016.

Hinkie's NBA journey started in 2005 with the Houston Rockets, where he served as vice president and later executive vice president prior to his move to Philadelphia. His period with the 76ers is distinguished by a rebuilding method that involved exchanging key players for high-value draft selections. This strategy sparked allegations of deliberate losing, which eventually led to his stepping down.

Early life and education

Born in the Netherlands in December 1977, Hinkie's father was employed by Halliburton. The family relocated to Easley, South Carolina when he was three years old, then moved again to Marlow, Oklahoma at age ten. In 1996, Hinkie graduated as valedictorian from Marlow High School, where he played defensive back in football and point guard in basketball.

He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Oklahoma, where he presided over the student business association and earned national recognition among top undergraduates. He married fellow student Alison Burness. Following graduation, he worked at Bain & Company and subsequently at Bain Capital in Australia. Hinkie earned an MBA from Stanford University, during which time he advised NFL teams on draft tactics and analytics while beginning part-time work with the Houston Rockets.

Houston Rockets

Upon finishing his MBA at Stanford, Hinkie joined the Houston Rockets in 2005 as a special assistant to GM Carroll Dawson. He was elevated to vice president in 2007, becoming the youngest VP in NBA history, coinciding with the hiring of Daryl Morey as Rockets GM. By 2010, Hinkie had moved up to executive vice president. In Houston, he was a strong advocate for integrating advanced analytics alongside Morey. He played a crucial role in acquiring future starting point guards such as Kyle Lowry and Patrick Beverley.

Philadelphia 76ers

In 2012, Hinkie interviewed for the Philadelphia 76ers' general manager position but was not selected, with the job going to Tony DiLeo. The following year, he was appointed GM and team president, becoming the third general manager under owner Josh Harris, who had purchased the franchise in 2011. During Hinkie's leadership, "trust the process" emerged as a guiding principle representing a long-term rebuilding approach. By 2015, ESPN had identified the Sixers as a leading major professional sports team embracing analytics.

Hinkie's initial significant transaction involved trading All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday for a protected first-round pick in 2014 and acquiring Nerlens Noel during the 2013 NBA draft. He also drafted future Rookie of the Year recipient Michael Carter-Williams and Arsalan Kazemi. In August 2013, Hinkie appointed former Spurs assistant coach Brett Brown as head coach. The team's early performance struggles led to accusations of intentional losing ("tanking"), including matching an NBA record for longest losing streak. At the 2014 trade deadline, veterans like Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes, and Lavoy Allen were traded for five second-round picks and player Henry Sims. After that season concluded, long-time Sixer Thaddeus Young was traded for a protected first-round pick in 2015 along with additional role players.

During the 2014 NBA draft, Hinkie selected future MVP candidate Joel Embiid, nicknamed "the Process," along with players such as Dario Šarić and K.J. McDaniels. He signed D-League veteran Robert Covington, who joined Noel and Carter-Williams in the 2015 Rising Stars Challenge. At the trade deadline in 2015, Hinkie exchanged Carter-Williams and McDaniels for assets including protected first-round picks and supporting players. That year's draft saw him select Jahlil Okafor third overall along with second-round picks like Richaun Holmes and J. P. Tokoto. During that offseason, Hinkie orchestrated a trade that brought players such as Nik Stauskas plus future draft assets including rights to swap first-round picks with Sacramento in both 2016 and 2017. This maneuver enabled Philadelphia to advance from fifth to third pick in the 2017 draft, eventually securing the first overall selection (Markelle Fultz) through assets accumulated during Hinkie's tenure.

Following a disappointing start to the 2015–16 season with a 1–21 record, former Phoenix Suns GM Jerry Colangelo was hired as Chairman of Basketball Operations. On April 6, 2016, Hinkie resigned from his roles as GM and head of basketball operations. Shortly thereafter, Jerry's son, Bryan Colangelo, assumed positions as Sixers GM and president of basketball operations; Jerry remained involved as a special advisor. After Hinkie's departure, Philadelphia won the 2016 NBA Draft lottery selecting Ben Simmons first overall. The team also drafted players like Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot and Furkan Korkmaz, selections made possible by assets acquired during Hinkie's management. In the following season (2016–17), both Embiid and Šarić made their debuts for Philadelphia and were contenders for NBA Rookie of the Year honors.

Denver Broncos

On May 25, 2018, Hinkie engaged with the Denver Broncos to offer strategic analytical guidance after the team experienced their initial losing record since 2010.