After getting swept from the playoffs by the New York Knicks, the Philadelphia 76ers fired Daryl Morey, their now-former president of basketball operations. The reasons why keep becoming more apparent as former 76ers like Jared McCain excel in the playoffs, away from Philly.
A former NBA Executive of the Year, Morey started his career in the league as the senior vice president of operations for the Boston Celtics in 2002. He would then move on to the Houston Rockets, where he spent the majority of his NBA time to date as the team's general manager.
In November 2020, Morey was hired by the 76ers. Joel Embiid was already a long-time member of the roster, though he did trade for Paul George. One of his first acts was drafting Tyrese Maxey in 2020, while he also brought in V.J. Edgecombe in 2025. There were a few good moves in there.
On paper, this seems like a team that should be able to get the job and bring a title back to Philadelphia. During Morey's tenure, the 76ers never made it past the second round of the playoffs. Apparently, their 2026 sweep by the Knicks was the straw that broke the camel's back.
Morey was fired by the 76ers for good reason
For some reason, Morey kept giving up great bench and role players who have gone on to prove their value on other teams. That list includes Isaiah Joe, Matisse Thybulle, Paul Reed, Georges Niang, Shake Milton, and the aforementioned McCain, who has been killing it with the Thunder.
Morey and his team kept sacrificing depth for little to no gain. The McCain error in particular stands out as Morey boasted he was selling high on the player. McCain might have adopted the Thunder's flopping ways quickly, but that doesn't change the fact that he's playing better than ever overall.
It was also his decision to bring in James Harden, which hasn't been a good plan for a decade. As one would expect, Harden's time in Philly was an absolute debacle that was fortunately over quickly. On the upside, Morey traded Ben Simmons, another dud, away to get Harden and also fired Doc Rivers.
While he made a few good calls during his run, the Morey era in Philly was defined by relatively regular playoff appearances that always ended in disappointment. Their lack of depth constantly caught up with them, and a change in leadership was needed. At least they didn't just blame the coach for once.
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