The Philadelphia 76ers should (and might) pursue Daryl Morey, but don’t expect anything to come of it.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ front office has been a contentious subject for many over the last year. The Jimmy Butler debacle, compounded by the ill-fated signings of Tobias Harris and Al Horford, has painted Elton Brand as one of the worst general managers in basketball.
All offseason, the Sixers have maintained that Brand will keep his job. In fact, he emerged from Philadelphia’s first-round sweep with more decision-making power than before. The Sixers vowed to clean up and improve the front office structure while keeping Brand on top. So far, that has been accomplished. Whether or not it has been accomplished successfully is yet to be seen.
However, a recent development could, in theory, throw a wrench into Philadelphia’s plans. In a surprising bit of news, Daryl Morey stepped down from his position as president of basketball operations in Houston. The architect of Houston’s revolutionary small-ball lineup, Morey is considered one of the best executives in basketball — period.
The Sixers have attempted to poach Morey in the past, to no avail. So, with Morey willingly walking away from Houston, it would make sense for Philadelphia to reissue their bid. If anyone could cause ownership to change directions and jettison Brand, it’s probably Morey.
That said, do not expect anything to come of Morey’s departure — especially not in Philadelphia. He seems determined to spend time with his college-aged kids, who are taking a gap year due to COVID-19, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. He also wants to explore other professional interests outside the NBA team structure.
So, unless he has a sudden change of heart, or Philadelphia makes an offer he absolutely can’t refuse, Morey is probably in no hurry to work for Josh Harris. Also of note is Philadelphia’s recent acquisition of Peter Dinwiddie and Prosper Karangwa, the first of whom is expected to work as second-in-command to Elton Brand. Someone of Morey’s caliber would presumably want to choose his own staff. The Sixers’ decision to build under Brand likely signals a genuine commitment to Brand, for better or worse.
Since he became GM in 2008, Morey’s Rockets had the second-highest winning percentage in the NBA. He designed a team to challenge Golden State when few other teams dared to, and if it weren’t for an ill-timed Chris Paul injury, the Rockets might have toppled the Kevin Durant Warriors at their peak. Morey deserves immense credit for his sway over the direction of NBA basketball as a whole. His analytics-driven approach changed the way teams view the game.
Of course the Sixers should offer every penny necessary to Morey, and happily surrender full control of the front office. Unfortunately, that probably isn’t enough to dissuade Morey from attending to his personal matters. And, in a time like this, it’s hard to blame him. Nothing outweighs family.