Is Detroit Pistons GM Troy Weaver the new Sam Hinkie?

Why Troy Weaver is not the new Sam Hinkie

A week before the draft, Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver Jr. held a press availability. He was asked directly if the team would tank, so it would receive a high draft pick, in what is supposed to be a talented 2021  class.

He replied: “The day I am not trying to be competitive, I’ll quit.”

When he was named the general manager back in June, Weaver had described his job as ‘retooling’, not a rebuild.

Hinkie never said what he called what he was doing. Of course, Hinkie never said much of anything.. His motto was ‘Never let them know what you’re thinking’.

The Sixers under Hinkie were the one team Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN could not get a scoop out of. Nothing got out on what the Sixers were doing.

Unless it was absolutely necessary, Hinkie never addressed the press on the record. His secretness was legendary. Agents and fellow GMs would complain they could not get in contact with him.

Weaver, while not Mr. Media, has made himself available to answer questions when appropriate.

Hinkie inherited a slightly better team than Weaver. Despite banking on Bynum (who hurt his knee bowling) to lead them, the Sixers under coach Doug Collins went 34-48.

Hinkie proceeded to strip the team of its best players for assets. He traded its best player, Thaddeus Young, before the start of the season.

Waiting until the trade deadline to maximize his assets, Hinkie sent out the rest of the remaining core from the previous season, centers Spencer Hawes (whose second-round pick from Cleveland, in return, allowed them to draft Jerami Grant), forward Lavoy Allen and guard Evan Turner.

Unless they were throw-ins for a trade , Hinkie never had a standout veteran again on one of his rosters. He looked for ‘diamonds in the rough’. Sometimes he found them (Robert Covington, T.J. McConnell) but most were misfires.

But they were all young, cheap and gave him lots of cap space and roster flexibility to pile up even more assets to use for a bright future (which he would never give a date for).

Weaver has not been averse to paying for what might be a future core player. He snagged Jerami Grant on a $60 million three-year contract. He also signed a veteran guard in Wayne Ellington for a second tour with the Pistons.

Hinkie basically never signed anyone to a big money deal. He also never would have gone out and signed a 33-year-old free agent like Ellington. He would have much rather given that roster spot to a G-League player like Christian Wood and see if he developed (Hinkie cut Wood twice).

So, is Troy Weaver going to make the Detroit Pistons a ‘Process-Midwest Division’?

No.

Weaver is doing some similar things that Hinkie also did with the Sixers, but they are basic guidelines for any GM trying to build up a virtually barren roster.

The Pistons spent some money on bringing in veterans. They would not be coming to a team intent on losing. They have also, so far retained its veteran team stalwarts, Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose.

These players would not want to be on a team looking to lose as much as Hinkie’s 76ers. But they are fine with Weaver’s Pistons.