Sam Hinkie steps down as Sixers GM

Sam Hinkie has stepped down from his position as the Philadelphia 76ers' general manager and president of basketball operations.

Sixers managing general partner Josh Harris issued a statement on Wednesday following Hinkie's resignation:

"This evening, Sam Hinkie notified the organization that he has elected to step down as president of basketball operations and general manager. While we are disappointed in Sam's decision, we would like to sincerely thank him for his contributions over the past three seasons. There is no question that Sam's work has put us in a very strong position to take advantage of numerous opportunities for an exciting future."

Related: Sixers to sign Bryan Colangelo as new GM​

Hinkie, who joined the Sixers in 2013, was famous for implementing "The Process" during his three-year tenure - a tactic involving "tanking" for a set number of years in an effort to gather as many assets and draft picks as possible.

"There has been much criticism of our approach," Hinkie wrote to the Sixers' ownership group. "There will be more. A competitive league like the NBA necessitates a zig while our competitors comfortably zag. We often chose not to defend ourselves against much of the criticism, largely in an effort to stay true to the ideal of having the longest view in the room. ...

"Given all the changes to our organization, I no longer have the confidence that I can make good decisions on behalf of investors in the Sixers - you. So I should step down. And I have."

The results were not pretty, as Philadelphia suffered three terrible seasons, with the Sixers never eclipsing 20 wins in a year with Hinkie at the helm. The current season has been the worst of the three, as the Sixers have won just 12.8 percent of their contests with four games remaining.

Hinkie's days in Philadelphia appeared to be numbered following the hiring of Jerry Colangelo as the chairman of basketball operations back in December. Reports immediately surfaced that Hinkie had "for all intents and purposes" been fired.