Michael Kaskey-Blomain joined Sean Brace of Philly Influencer to discuss the Sixers, the NCAA tournament, and the upcoming 2016 NBA Draft.

Check out a video feed of the podcast below:

Sam Hinkie's Future in Philadelphia

As the worst Sixers season in recent memory crawls to a close, Sam Hinkie’s future in Philadelphia remains a topic of discussion.

According to a source within the organization, Hinkie’s long-term future in Philadelphia may be in jeopardy. While it was not made clear if ‘in jeopardy’ refers to a potential title change or something further, and no sort of time table was given for a potential move, the [lack of] progress of the rebuild was cited as a main factor.

Will the 76ers Win Again This Season?

The 76ers quest for a double-digit win count continues. After a heart-breaking last-second loss to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday evening, Philadelphia's win total sits still at 9.

Sixers almost won, but nope. Mudiay game winner 👀 https://t.co/kZzoOPbPDc

— Michael K-B (@therealmikekb) March 24, 2016

With only a full finger count of games remaining in the season, the question becomes not when the Sixers will win their next game, but if the Sixers will win another game. Philadelphia has won once in March, and with Jahlil Okafor sidelined for the remainder of the season, and several of their upcoming opponents in a playoff push, another W will be difficult to come by.

A Jahlil Okafor Conspiracy Theory

Ever since it was announced that his rookie season would come to an early end due to injury issues and a scheduled surgery, there has been a lot of speculation surrounding Jahlil Okafor's future in Philadelphia. Some wonder if he has already played his last game with the 76ers. 

Such speculation stems largely from Sam Hinkie's willingness to shuffle talent, as well as concerns about franchise fit. However, there is another angle to consider when it comes to Okafor's long-term Philadelphia future: discontent from the player. 

76ers Report: Ben Simmons vs. Brandon Ingram

As the Sixers' struggles on the court continue, the focus has turned to the upcoming draft lottery and the 2016 NBA Draft.

Carey Smith of Philadinkia.com joined Jeff McMenamin and Michael Kaskey-Blomain on a new 76ers Report to discuss potential picks Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram, as well as other potential summer scenarios, and a variety of other topics.

Listen to the new episode below, via blogtalkradio:

Check out past episodes of the 76ers Report here.

Jahlil Okafor's Rookie Season Produced More Questions Than Answers

This article appears in its entirety on The Sixer Sense.
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Jahlil Okafor’s rookie season is in the books, and his inaugural campaign with the Philadelphia 76ers was one that can be classified cleanly as ‘up-and-down.’ It was at times turbulent – beginning with off-court issues, ending with injury issues, and filled with plenty of speculation in-between – but there was also a lot of good individual ball, production, and promising play.

Still though, despite Okafor’s innate ability to put the ball in the basket, you can’t help but feel a sense of uncertainty surrounding his future in Philly. Whereas the addition of a top lottery talent typically serves as a solution of sorts to a team’s issues, in this situation, the presence of Okafor on the Sixers’ roster has produced more questions than it has provided answers. Some of this uncertainty is due directly to Okafor’s style of play, while some can be attributed to how the Sixers are currently constructed.

Jahlil Okafor's Rookie Season Is Over

The 76ers have had some terrible recent luck with big men and injury issues. First Andrew Bynum, then Nerlens Noel. Joel Embiid, and now Jahlil Okafor.

After some speculation, the Sixers announced on Friday that Jahlil Okafor would need to undergo surgery for a meniscus tear in his right knee and would miss six weeks, which equates to the rest of the Sixers' season.

In a statement released by the team, GM Sam Hinkie addressed the issue:

“Jahlil recently started to experience discomfort in his right knee, which we immediately investigated. After a comprehensive series of tests and additional evaluation by our medical team, it was revealed that he has a small tear of the meniscus. Jahlil will undergo a minor arthroscopic procedure to address the injury. Timing and details of the procedure will be finalized in the coming days.  

Our medical team will continually monitor and evaluate Jahlil's progress, and we anticipate he will resume full basketball activities in

approximately six weeks." 

The injury effectively ends Okafor's rookie campaign, which he finishes with averages of 17.5 points and 7 rebounds per game. We've seen the last of Okafor this season, and his future with the franchise remains cloudy. 

76ers Report: Jahlil Okafor's Future with the Sixers

The Sixers are in the midst of another long losing streak, but there is still a whole lot to talk about, especially regarding the franchise's future. On a new 76ers Report, Jeff McMenamin and Michael Kaskey-Blomain discuss the Sixers' on-court struggles, Jahlil Okafor's future with the organization, Joel Embiid's progress, and much more.

Listen to the episode below, via blogtalkradio:




Catch up on past episodes of the 76ers Report here.

Has Jahlil Okafor Played His Last Game for the 76ers?

"Everything is on the table," Coach Brett Brown said when asked about the potential of Jahlil Okafor sitting out for the remainder of the season for an injury that started as a right shin contusion and has since developed into right knee soreness.

Okafor has missed the past handful of games, and there is no indication of when he may return. As always, the team will be cautious and careful in bringing their injured big back to the court; in other words, they're in no rush. The organization has slow-played Nerlens Noel's and Joel Embiid's recent recoveries- albeit they were more serious injury issues - and they will likely approach Okafor's in the same manner.

The Hornets Are Clicking at the Right Time

This article can be seen in its entirety on Queen City Hoops. 

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The Charlotte Hornets, led by All-Star snub Kemba Walker, are gelling, and at the right time in a relatively open Eastern Conference.  

The first portion of the team's 2015-16 campaign was plagued by inconsistency and injury issues, as Al Jefferson and Nicolas Batum both missed double-digit games, and the team struggled to fit a excess of new players into the rotation. The team started decently strong – they were 9-6 through the first 15 games of the season – but they struggled to maintain the same level of play on a night-in and night-out basis as the season wore on.

Steph Curry Is More Than Just a Great Shooter

An interesting aspect of Vince Carter's recent NBATV interview was how much the 8x All-Star emphasized the fact that he was more than just a great dunker. Sure, he was a legendary dunker - maybe the best ever- and responsible for arguably the best in-game dunk of all time, but his high-flying ability was not all that he brought to the floor on a nightly basis.

"I could play man," Carter said in the interview, and he was right. Carter had 10 seasons in which he averaged over 20 plus points, and is sixth on the NBA's all-time three point list, with over 1,900 threes drained over the course of his career.

Carter's desire to not be defined solely by his strongest skill strikes a parallel to Steph Curry, who is already being anointed as the greatest shooter of all time. Curry has broken his own record for most three's made in a season in NBA history twice now, and in doing so has redefined the meaning of range.

The Hornets Continue Their Hot Streak Against the Sixers

A win was expected for the Hornets when they took on the Eastern Conference’s bottom-dwelling 76ers, but being better on paper doesn’t always equate to a win. In such situations, the team expected to win faces an enhanced pressure, and it is up to this favored team to take care of business and win the games they’re ‘supposed to’, which is exactly what the Hornets did on Wednesday night.

In an increasingly tight playoff race in the Eastern Conference, each game takes on an increased importance, and this message hasn’t been lost on the Hornets, who beat the Suns and Sixers by 20+ points on back-to-back nights.