The Philadelphia 76ers officially named Daryl Morey as the team’s next president of basketball operations, according to the Associated Press. Additionally, the 76ers have extended the contract of Elton Brand as general manager.
Philadelphia 76ers name Daryl Morey next Team President
Morey’s Short Stint of Unemployment
It’s been less than three weeks, but Morey is officially back employed for the front office of an NBA franchise. After 13 seasons, Morey stepped down as general manager of the Houston Rockets on October 15th. This decision came on the heels of Houston’s failure to reach the NBA Finals despite a series of big-name acquisitions.
On Monday, 76ers Managing Partner Josh Harris officially named Morey as president of basketball operations. The news is rejoiced by Philadelphia fans, who have experienced disappointing results despite a championship-caliber roster.
“Daryl Morey is one of the very best front-office executives in the NBA and I’m thrilled to welcome him to Philadelphia as the 76ers President of Basketball Operations,” Harris said. “Talent like Daryl rarely becomes available so we moved quickly and aggressively to bring him here. He has an extraordinary track record of success in this league as an innovator, visionary, and leader, and I believe he significantly improves our chances of delivering a championship-caliber team to our fans.”
Of course, under Morey’s leadership, the Rockets have also been pegged as a disappointing franchise. Since 2007, Morey’s teams have compiled a 640-400 overall record. In that span, Houston has won 50-plus games eight times, qualified for the postseason 10 times, and reached the Western Conference Finals multiple times. Yet, Houston has not reached the NBA Finals since 1995.
In addition to Morey’s hire, Philadelphia also announced the multi-year extension of Brand, the club’s current general manager.
Does Brand’s Extension Signal More Disappointment for 76ers fans?
In September of 2018, the 76ers announced Brand as the newest general manager. While rumors have swirled around his future with the franchise with playoff disappointments, the future may be brighter. The former standout NBA big-man was instrumental in the 76ers hire of head coach Doc Rivers early last month.
On the other hand, Philadelphia’s ownership sets high hopes for this new partnership of front office leadership between Morey, Brand, and Rivers.
“This offseason, we made it our mission to make this organization better and stronger,” said Harris. “By hiring a tremendous front-office leader in Daryl and championship coach in Doc, as well as extending Elton, we’re proud of what we’ve assembled. I’m excited for their leadership and look forward to continuing to build a team this city and our fans can be proud of.”
Brand enters his third season with the 76ers and has not been shy about blockbuster acquisitions. Under his leadership, Philadelphia made moves for Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler during the 2018-19 season. While Philly reached the Eastern Conference Semifinals that season, the franchise came up short thanks to Kawhi Leonard’s heroics in Toronto.
Butler obviously departed for the Miami Heat, but Brand helped construct moves for Josh Richardson and Al Horford. This new-look unit of superstars that included homegrown superstars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons never exactly meshed. The 76ers finished sixth in the Eastern Conference.
The 76ers do not lack talented players. The question remains. Can this new partnership between Morey, Brand, and Rivers bring championship aspirations home to Philadelphia? The current structure will need some maneuvering, however, this team is not far off.
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