PHILADELPHIA— The Philadelphia 76ers are entering a new era after a somewhat surprising Daryl Morey firing following their embarrassing second-round sweep at the hands of the New York Knicks. The news was first broken by Shams Charania, sending tremors through a franchise that once again watched a promising postseason collapse in spectacular fashion. The organization moved quickly afterward, appointing Bob Myers to an interim 76ers role while ownership begins its search for a permanent executive. But here’s the funny thing about interim jobs in sports: sometimes they end up lasting longer than expected. It already feels like Myers is less of a placeholder and more of a soft launch for the future.
Bob Myers Could Make His Interim 76ers Role Permanent After Shocking Daryl Morey Firing
“I know how much the 76ers mean to the City of Philadelphia, and it’s important we find the right leader to shape the future of this team,” Myers told the Philly Voice. “The process will start immediately, and we will be thorough and deliberate in our evaluations. I believe this is a destination for top talent across the league and look forward to solidifying our infrastructure moving forward.”
The Resume Speaks for Itself
What better man to run the team than the architect behind the Golden State Warriors dynasty that defined an era and fundamentally changed basketball? After all, those Warriors teams were built on the success of a dominant backcourt featuring Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Check and check for the Sixers. Their young pairing of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe may not sling it quite as recklessly as the “Splash Brothers” did during their flamethrower years, but it’s one of the league’s most intriguing backcourts moving forward. And in today’s NBA, having dynamic guard play is basically oxygen.
Myers’ NBA résumé is ridiculously strong. He became the Warriors’ General Manager in 2012 and quickly transformed Golden State from an entertaining playoff team into a basketball empire. In 2015, Myers won the first of his two NBA Executive of the Year awards after constructing a championship-winning roster. By the end of his run, the Warriors had captured four NBA championships under his watch. That kind of résumé carries weight in league circles. Executives can talk about “culture” all day long, but rings still speak the loudest language in sports.
The Biggest Question Might Not Be Basketball
The biggest stumbling block for Philadelphia may not even be roster construction. It might simply be whether Bob Myers wants the grind again. Since stepping away from fall of last year, Myers has been working under the Sixers’ ownership group in an advisory capacity. While he isn’t exclusively overseeing Philadelphia, he currently serves as the president of the company managing the Sixers, the New Jersey Devils, and the Washington Commanders. That’s a pretty comfortable setup. Less day-to-day chaos, more long-term influence, and significantly fewer trade deadline-induced migraines. NBA front office life can age people like spoiled milk left in the sun.
That broader executive role also gives Myers something NBA executives rarely enjoy: security across multiple franchises and sports. If one organization struggles, his influence doesn’t suddenly evaporate overnight. Still, there have been hints that a return to basketball operations remains possible. ESPN insider Tim McMahon notably said during discussions after Masai Ujiri got the Mavericks vacancy: “If Bob Myers would have taken this job and relocated from L.A., then I think that it might be Bob Myers.” That statement matters because it confirms what many around the league already suspect: Myers hasn’t completely closed the door on another NBA chapter.
And honestly, the setup in Philadelphia might be too familiar to ignore. His partnership with ownership mirrors the close collaboration he once had with Joe Lacob in Golden State. Stability at the ownership level matters more than fans often realize. Here, there already appears to be alignment. Daryl Morey’s firing may have opened the door for organizational change, but it also may have handed Bob Myers the perfect runway back into the NBA. What began as an interim 76er role could quietly become something much bigger.
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