Philly’s potential big draw for Morey
Ex-Rockets GM ends gapyear before it starts by filling 76ers’ opening
Rockets fans were not alone in wondering how Daryl Morey’s gap year turned into little more than a weekend.
Less than three weeks after Morey announced he was stepping down as Rockets general manager because the timing was right with his college-aged children taking a gap year, he was introduced Monday as the 76ers’ new president of basketball operations.
He cited motivations for the move, ranging from a Philadelphia roster highlighted by young stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons to the “relentless” pursuit of managing partner Josh Harris, general manager Elton Brand and new Sixers coach Doc Rivers.
But Morey said he did have some explaining to do at home.
“That was my plan,” Morey said of his stated intention last month to take time off. “My kids are giving me a lot of crap about it. I’m a pretty competitive guy, but that was my plan. My wife was actually urging me (to do) that. But Elton and Doc and Josh were relentless — I mean just relentless — as soon as I stepped away.
“Frankly, the more you look at what Elton has put together on this roster with Joel and Ben as the headliners but with great players — Al (Horford), Josh (Richardson), Tobias (Harris) and some of the younger players that were brought in last year — I’m with Doc. The more you dig into the players that are here, the more you get excited about what this team can do.”
Though Morey made the move quickly — because his tenure with the Rockets didn’t officially end until Saturday, it had the feeling of players reaching destination decisions seconds after free agency begins — Harris said he first reached out to Morey “the minute hewas leaving Houston.”
“When talent like Doc and Daryl become available, you move quickly,” said Harris, who called Morey “one of the best executives in the NBA.”
“I can’t believe how quickly this came together,” Morey said. “To have a chance toworkwith a legendary franchise and committed ownership … it’s going to be exciting here in Philadelphia. Ownership is committed to championships. The chance to work with Doc Rivers, a championship coach … again, the chance to work with Elton Brand — I’m so happy he took that step and urged Josh to bring me here so we can work together.
“This is a roster that has championship aspirations and can win the championship. I can’t believe
this is happening. You can’t ask for anything more.”
If there were other reasons for Morey’s departure from the Rockets, given a determination to spend time away fromthe NBA no longer seems too great amotivation, he did not say. But as Morey repeatedly cited the 76ers’ championship chances as amotivation for taking the job, he seemed to indicate the job he left no longer brought the same degree of title potential.
Other than citing Simmons’ season- ending injury, Morey did not say what would need to change with the 76ers after they were swept in the first round by the Celtics, pointing out he was in his first hours on the job, with many meetings with Rivers and Brand to come.
But after finishing last season without a center, Morey said he was happy to have a team built around one with traditional postup talents.
“Joel is a dominant, dominant big man,” Morey said. “I’m excited to get back to that. I worked with Yao Ming. We got very close in Houston with Yao Ming. And I think we can go all the way with Joel.
“The best way to win in the NBA is to take your talent and figure out how to utilize them the best. It’s not to take your talent and figure out how to hammer it into a particular system. It’s to try to get the most out ofwho you have. Joel’s the kind of player you win championships with.
“We were trying to build the best team around our talent in Houston. Here, Doc is going to take the talent we have and use them to the best of their ability.”
Said Rivers: “I think we have a loaded roster. I love a lot of our guys.”
Rivers loves the 76ers’ talent so much that Morey said he was unable to get him to interviewfor the Rockets’ coaching job that last week went to Stephen Silas.
When asked about his tweet in support of Hong Kong protesters, Morey pivoted to praise players’ efforts to use social media to promote worthy causes.
“I do believe a lot in using this platform to push things that are important,” he said without addressing his own controversial tweet. He said he appreciated the influence of NBA players that led to league arenas being used as polling places. He said he and his family voted at Toyota Center via the drive-thru option and that he was concerned the votes might have been disallowed Monday.
“Those votes are in dispute in Houston,” he said as the casewas deliberated. “They better count them, or they’re going to hear from me down in Houston.”
Morey will be able to keep his “I voted” sticker after a federal judge ruled a challenge to 127,000 drive-thru votes in Harris County lacked standing. He will, however, have plenty to keep him busy, having lost interest in the charms of taking time off.