Despite being usurped by Jerry Colangelo earlier this season, controversial Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie remains resolute.
Hinkie is sticking by The Process, his notoriously diligent and ruthless approach to rebuilding, and he doesn't see any other way to help the Sixers reach their ultimate goal of winning a championship.
"You don't get to the moon by climbing a tree," Hinkie explained to reporters Friday.
As for the future of his team, Hinkie foresees no changes to their current course of action. They'll likely continue on the path they've been on since Hinkie took over in 2013.
Hinkie has not shied away from taking high upside gambles. He's amassed a bounty of draft picks in recent years in hopes of finding a franchise cornerstone, and along the way, his teams have been wildly unsuccessful - by design.
The Sixers have 45 wins against 172 losses during Hinkie's tenure. That's allowed the team to repeatedly pick at the top of the draft, but their top picks (Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor) have yet to make a significant impact.
If anything, Noel and Okafor have proved to be very capable players, but they've been incompatible as a frontcourt pairing.
Throughout it all, Hinkie has remained resolute in not compromising his principles for team building. He's looked at every opportunity to gather surplus draft picks, and has even been willing to wait entire seasons (in the cases of Noel, Embiid, and international draft-and-stash Dario Saric) without regard for any intermediary gain.
"If I'm not thinking about the future, who is?" Hinkie asked rhetorically.
There was some thought that with Colangelo in town, the Sixers might expedite the timeline for their rebuild. Colangelo recently said he wants the team to be "very competitive in three years", and he's made a point of bringing a few veterans into the Sixers' locker room - something Hinkie often disregarded.
But as long as Hinkie keeps on keeping on, The Process does too.