When the Sixers traded Michael Carter-Williams to the Bucks before the deadline passed, it didn’t just come as a surprise to many of the team’s fans.
Carter-Williams appeared to be blindsided, as well.
As the reigning Rookie of the Year prepared to make his Milwaukee debut against his former team on Wednesday, he said he was told that he was one of the franchise cornerstones, and believes that if Sixers head coach Brett Brown was the one making the decisions instead of GM Sam Hinkie, he’d still be a part of the Philadelphia franchise.
From Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com:“The ultimate thing it comes down to: Coach Brown coaches and Sam does the moves,” Carter-Williams said after the Bucks’ shootaround. “That is what it comes down to, that is the agreement, and that is all I know. I think if it came down to Coach Brown, I don’t think I would have been moved, to be honest.”
Brown hasn’t been happy with every move Hinkie has made this year. When Brandon Davies was dealt in December, Brown lamented it because such moves can preclude the development of team chemistry and culture. ...
“We were rolling, we were getting some wins,” Carter-Williams said. “We were finding ourselves and finding our identity, and for that to break up is pretty sad. After this game and the media, I don’t want to talk about it anymore. It is over and done. It is what it is, and it is time to move on.”
Carter-Williams may be correct, but Hinkie was very clear in explaining the reasons he felt comfortable sending his young point guard packing.
The rare availability of a high draft pick is what ultimately swayed him in making the decision, but Hinkie also mentioned how important he believes three-point shooting to be in a team’s overall success -- and Carter-Williams regressed in that area in his second season, shooting just 25.6 percent from three-point distance.