The Sixers' plan to rebuild has been clear since Sam Hinkie took over as president and general manager. The franchise intends to build through the draft and acquire as many assets as possible in hopes building a team full of quality young pieces to seriously contend in a few years.
Still, not everyone is willing to be so patient. Just don't count Shaquille O'Neal among them. On Wednesday's edition of Philly Sports Talk the four-time NBA champion said Hinkie's vision for the Sixers can certainly pan out.
"Yes, it can work like that. It's chess, not checkers," O'Neal said from the Reebok Classic Breakout Camp at Philadelphia University. "A lot of organizations try to get a guy here, get a guy there because they want immediate gratification.
"But the guy from Philly, he's doing a fabulous job. I don't know him very well, but he's doing what every smart general manager does -- just take it slow. Unless you can get like a real big piece that can change everything, you take it slow."
The Sixers have definitely taken things slow, even holding Nerlens Noel out all of last season while he recovered from a torn ACL. O'Neal believes that was the right move and also likes what he's seen so far from the young big man in the Orlando Pro Summer League.
"I actually live in Orlando. I've actually seen him play, I think it was yesterday. Hell of a shot blocker," O'Neal said. "The Philadelphia fans will be very excited because you know Philadelphia you guys love hard work, you love defense, so he will fit in very nicely here in Philadelphia. I would like to see him add a little bit more muscle and define his offensive game a little bit, but he's a rookie. He has time. I think he's gonna do great.
"Your team is still in the rebuilding process. Got the rookie from last year (Michael Carter-Williams), you got him, so you're probably like two or three pieces away to getting back to where you were very, very, very, very exciting like in the Allen Iverson days."
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The Sixers hope one of those important pieces is Joel Embiid, who they spent the No. 3 pick on in last month's draft. O'Neal isn't sure how if the Kansas product will be able to equal idol Hakeem Olajuwon, however, he does feel that Embiid's youth will help him bounce back from the broken foot he suffered just before the draft.
"He had a great college career, but the NBA is a different game," O'Neal said. "Especially at his position, you got to go up against a lot of future Hall of Famers, a lot of All-Stars. I don't really know his work ethic, but I'm sure the staff here is going to keep him in shape, going to rehabilitate him very, very well. I know they're going to put him on the court when the time is right.
"The good thing about all that is he's a young guy, so his muscles regenerate, his legs, his ligaments will regenerate and hopefully they grow back stronger. He'll be a fabulous player. He'll be fine."