The moral of this long and winding and weird and strangely fascinating story might be the smallest, simplest thing: Losing hurts too much to stretch it out.
Though there is so much more.
Still, it’s the best jumping-off point after a huge week for the Philadelphia 76ers and the NBA and the subject of just how much tanking is too much tanking. Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie resigned Wednesday. He was under increasing pressure to start winning, that pressure coming from media and fans and from his shrinking power. Rather than become a passenger in a car he once was driving, Hinkie opted to get out at the next stop and find a new ride. Which probably was a prudent move.
But Hinkie didn’t leave without writing a thoughtful — and thought-provoking — 13-page letter to the 76ers’ board of trustees. He explained in detail what he was attempting to accomplish in ways he barely attempted to clarify for the people who needed to hear it just as much: the team’s fans.
That was strike one. And it was, ultimately, the biggest strike.
As has been seen in the past with so many hyper-intelligent individuals, to whom items of genius come easily, it’s the common sense details that prove elusive. For Hinkie, that would have been outlining as much of what he was trying to do without giving his entire strategy away, which as he wrote, he was deathly afraid of doing lest he be copied by other teams in the hugely copycat world of the NBA.
But he also was smart enough to get that figured out.
Because he never did, in the end, the plan that was clear to him was shadowy to everyone else until the letter was leaked. Your constituents can’t be kept in the dark while historic losing is happening in front of their faces. Even if they started with blind trust, they want to know what the direction is when things don’t look right. And they deserve to be told.
Had that letter never been leaked, they never would have been. That’s a shame. There was a lot of good in his thought process, a lot of forward-thinking mixed with conventional ideas. It was an enlightening peek behind the curtain. Few who read that could have walked away thinking he had no idea what he was doing, which was a popular go-to while he was in power and not talking in any meaningful way about why Philadelphia was losing so much and didn’t seem to care.
The flip side of that has happened in Denver.
The Nuggets have excelled in clarifying their position. When they thought they were a playoff team — the Brian Shaw years — they said so. Now, as they rebuild, they have been frank in expressing that’s what it is.
Outside of a few weeks after the all-star break, when some playoff talk crept into the narrative, the Nuggets have been steadfast in calling this a season to improve young talent and change the culture.
They stayed on message, then delivered on meaningful culture change and the improvement of young players such as Emmanuel Mudiay and Nikola Jokic. Everyone was clear on the plan, inside and outside the team. As a result, the regime in Denver has built a base of hope, even in the midst of a third consecutive year out of the playoffs.
That’s no small feat in our what-have-you-done-for-me-lately society. It’s also no small feat to placate a Nuggets fan base that enjoyed 10 consecutive years of playoff berths. But because hope is hope, that will be harder to do in subsequent seasons. Maybe starting next season.
The 76ers wanted wins in all areas that rosters can be improved, which then would allow them to acquire top-notch talent from which to build. In drafting, Hinkie was prepared to lose more than anyone else lost before to get the best chance at top picks. And he did collect a bevy of young, promising players.
Somehow, he had to get that message across more clearly. Because losing hurts. Historic losing hurts even worse.
But not seeing a light at the end of the tunnel? That’s when someone else takes the wheel.
Christopher Dempsey: cdempsey@ or @dempseypost
UTAH JAZZ AT DENVER NUGGETS
When: 3 p.m. Sunday
TV/Radio: ALT; 950 AM
Spotlight on Rodney Hood:
Utah is scrambling to make the playoffs, and second-year guard Hood has provided some much-needed perimeter punch. In his last eight games, Hood averaged 18.4 points and 4.0 rebounds. He shot 50.4 percent in this span and, more important, 42.1 percent from the 3-point line. In road games during this stretch, Hood has been even better from beyond the arc, nailing 45 percent of his tries.
JAZZ VS. NUGS NOTEBOOK
Jazz:
After two consecutive losses and three in the last five games, Utah is probably jumping at the chance to get back at the Nuggets, who they’ve not only beaten in all three games this season but held the Nuggets under 90 points in each. Utah plays Dallas on Monday, then closes the season at the Lakers in Kobe Bryant’s final game.
Nuggets:
Denver closes out its home schedule against Northwest Division rival Utah with two things at stake. First is at least equaling its home win total from a year ago. A victory would give the Nuggets 19, tying last season, and would be two consecutive wins to close out the home schedule. Second, a Nuggets victory would deal a blow to Utah’s chase for the eighth spot, which it occupies by one game over Houston.
Spotlight on …
Andrew Wiggins, F, Minnesota
In the second-to-last week of the regular season, The Post’s player of the week award goes to a player who figures to be a fixture in this space for years to come: Minnesota forward Andrew Wiggins.
What’s up: In three games, Wiggins averaged 25.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.0 steals. The former No. 1 overall pick shot 53.8 percent from the field, including 50 percent from the 3-point line. The Timberwolves won two of the three games, including one at Golden State, which was just the second home defeat for the Warriors this season.
Background: Wiggins looked every bit the star player he is growing into during the Timberwolves’ best win of the week — 124-117 over Golden State. Wiggins scored 32 points and was the go-to guy down the stretch in the fourth quarter and in overtime, where he scored the first six of Minnesota’s 18 points to help put away the Warriors.
Chris Dempsey’s take: If you didn’t see any of Minnesota’s win at Golden State, you should have. It was like looking into a crystal ball and seeing the future of what the Timberwolves — and Wiggins — are sure to grow into. Wiggins made big shot after big shot, never seemed rattled and exhibited star qualities in a hostile environment. His performance was one of his best individual efforts this season. Wiggins’ time as an elite NBA player is on the horizon.
