The Philadelphia 76ers made a deeper run than many anticipated in the NBA Playoffs, advancing to the No. 7 seed through the play-in tournament, and then upsetting the Boston Celtics in seven games.
However, their run ended in the second round as they ran into a determined New York Knicks team, which dominated them in a 4-0 sweep to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
That disappointing finish brought questions about the team’s roster and future. While no big player decisions have occurred yet, the 76ers parted ways with Daryl Morey as the team’s president of basketball operations.
ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania first reported the news just as Game 5 of the second-round playoff series between the Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs was about to air.
According to Charania, Morey met with 76ers owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer on Tuesday evening in Philadelphia, where they decided to part ways mutually.
Morey, 53, served as the 76ers’ president of basketball operations for the past six years. During his time in the role, he made several impactful moves to bolster the roster, including a trade that sent Ben Simmons to the Nets and brought James Harden to Philadelphia.
He was the general manager of the Houston Rockets for nine seasons, during which the team made the playoffs in all nine seasons. In addition, Morey previously served as the Boston Celtics’ senior vice president of operations for several years.
With Morey out, the team is now in a transition phase as they determine who will take over his role and attempt to shape the direction of this 76ers team.
Among the big questions facing them regarding the roster are whether to part ways with any of their key players, with some suggesting it might be time to move on from big man Joel Embiid. However, they’ve been loyal to the former No. 3 pick throughout his career amid various injuries.
The team has several key unrestricted free agents this offseason, including Kelly Oubre Jr., Quentin Grimes, and Andre Drummond, and is heading to June’s NBA Draft with the No. 22 pick.
Due to the team’s high payroll, these UFA decisions will be a major part of whoever takes over now that Morey is out.
After seeing the Eagles achieve Super Bowl success in recent years, Philadelphia sports fans have been hungry for a successful season for their basketball team. Time will tell whether the next president of basketball operations can make better moves than Morey did during his tenure.
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