Reflecting on Daryl Morey’s Tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers

Over the past decade, the Philadelphia 76ers have faced a range of unfortunate events.

But really, how many of those misfortunes can we actually attribute to Daryl Morey?

Morey joined the 76ers on November 2, 2020. From what I can tell, most of the chaos that led to the team’s struggles in 2026 occurred before he took the helm. For instance, would you trade Jayson Tatum’s draft pick for Markelle Fultz’s? How about the Jimmy Butler trade? What about signing Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons? All of these decisions happened prior to Morey’s arrival, including the choice to move Mikal Bridges for Zaire Smith.

Recently, Morey was let go by the 76ers, marking the end of his lengthy career as one of the league’s more philosophically determined executives—favoring three-pointers and layups over mid-range shots. Like any general manager, he made mistakes, but much of the groundwork for the team’s issues was laid before he took over. I genuinely believe he positioned the 76ers as well as possible during his six years, even if his termination suggested a shift was needed.

When Morey was brought in, he faced two major conditions. Doc Rivers was the head coach, having been hired just a month earlier, and Joel Embiid alongside Ben Simmons were viewed as the franchise cornerstones. The 76ers operated under this framework for three years. So, while he had the keys to the team, it felt more like driving a company car with issues under the hood. Right away, he drafted Tyrese Maxey on his sixteenth day.

In a way, this situation reminds me of a scene from a movie where a driver criticizes a Ferrari, to which the mechanic replies that it’s a Ferrari, and you can’t say anything negative about it.

Essentially, that reflects what Morey was up against.

He couldn’t really tweak or change much and had to support Embiid, the hope for a city weary from past failures. Once Embiid earned MVP votes (finishing second, second, and then first from 2020 to 2023), that was it. Morey was obligated to pay him what he required for the remainder of his career, no matter the outcome.

On the other hand, Ben Simmons brought a range of issues—personal, financial, and, honestly, existential crises. It was a tumultuous year-long saga. Before he traded Simmons for James Harden, one might need to write an entire book to unpack the impact Simmons had during his four years with the team. He was an All-NBA caliber player until he faltered dramatically in a critical playoff game. We may never fully grasp what truly happened there, but the fact that Morey managed to trade for Harden while dealing with such diminished assets was unexpected.

Harden, in some ways, was Morey’s ultimate choice; he had a unique offensive skill set that aligned more with Morey’s philosophy compared to Embiid or Simmons. While Embiid enjoyed shooting mid-range shots (which Morey typically avoids), Simmons struggled with three-point attempts. Morey regarded Harden as one of the most significant players of his era, building multiple teams around him in Houston. It’s possible that had he committed to Maxey sooner, he could have sidestepped some of the discord with Harden.

The crux of the current difficulties for the 76ers lies with the contracts of Embiid and Paul George, which amount to about $300 million over the next three years. Under the apron luxury tax rules, it’s an unlikely path to constructing a competitive team. Now, I’m not saying Morey had no choice in those contracts (he could have opted to let them go), but Embiid was non-negotiable. Striking a deal to clear cap space for George seemed savvy at the time, given the scarcity of marquee free agents. Yet, that fourth-year option really complicates things, which is understandable; but, frankly, a GM in his shoes would have made that move too.

These contracts reflect a mindset of, “If this doesn’t work out, I’ll be let go anyway, so why not take the significant risks?” Those are hefty swings, and Morey took those risks with two injury-prone players who haven’t been able to justify their contracts. Yet, what else could he have done? Would fans have preferred him to save cap space for, I don’t know, a lemonade stand instead? Would they have been happier if he didn’t secure Embiid, who can score 50 points in a playoff game, and instead demanded a trade?

Interestingly, even with “The Process” associated with the 76ers for nearly ten years, they haven’t completely dismantled anything during Morey’s tenure. He wasn’t brought in to save the 76ers, but rather to steer a talented roster beyond the second round. Instead, he found himself in a constant state of crisis management, always on the brink of the next disaster.

But consider what might have happened if Morey hadn’t drafted Tyrese Maxey, but instead selected players like Zeke Nagy, Leandro Bolmaro, or RJ Hampton, who were chosen later. What if he had accepted a salary dump for Simmons rather than acquiring Harden, or filled Paul George’s cap space with other players like Buddy Hield or DeMar DeRozan? What if he had simply extended Tobias Harris?

Has Philadelphia genuinely improved?

Or is the current predicament of the 76ers perhaps the best achievable scenario for a team centered around one of the league’s most challenging superstars? It’s possible that Morey’s approach has run its course, and fresh perspectives may be in order. Yet, I don’t think he should take the blame for the warning lights flickering, the brakes failing, or the eventual crash—it simply wasn’t his vehicle.