Daryl Morey’s Case to Stick With Sixers

When the Philadelphia 76ers came up short in the 2022 NBA Playoffs with a Game 6 loss against the Miami Heat, now-former Sixers head coach Doc Rivers wanted everybody to understand the reality of the NBA; winning it all is hard.

Although the Sixers wanted to finally break the trend of coming up short in the second round, they had championship aspirations. Unfortunately, they came up short in both categories.

Some called for Doc Rivers’ job after year two, but Daryl Morey and the Sixers gave him another chance. Looking forward to the Joel Embiid and James Harden tandem getting a full season to grow together, the Sixers hoped that time would heal all in 2022-2023.

In the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, the Sixers swept the Brooklyn Nets. In the second round, Philadelphia had the Boston Celtics’ backs against the ropes as the Sixers were up 3-2 going into Game 6 at home.

The Sixers failed to close the series out in six games. And when Game 7 rolled around, they rolled over and took a beating. After dropping two of the most important games of the playoff run, the Sixers failed to make it past the second round for the third-straight season.

When a team can’t get beyond a certain point, it calls for major changes. Two days after the blowout Game 7 loss against the Celtics, the Sixers made their first notable move of the offseason by parting ways with their head coach after three seasons.

Although Rivers took a hit, the Sixers’ shortcomings were a collective effort, which is something that Daryl Morey acknowledged during his final press conference of the 2022-2023 season. While Morey’s job isn’t on the line as a result, he reiterated a similar message as Rivers following the playoff run… Winning it all is difficult.

“I tell ownership winning’s hard,” Morey said. “We have made progress, and frankly, I feel like I’m the best guy to lead the 76ers, and ownership believes that.”

Since Morey and Rivers entered the picture in Philadelphia, the Sixers haven’t gone any farther than they have in previous years. In 2018, the Sixers clinched a spot in the playoffs for the first time during the Joel Embiid era. That would mark the start of a six-year streak with Philadelphia becoming regulars in the postseason.

The Sixers have made it to the Eastern Conference Semifinals five times during that run but haven’t made it past that round since 2001. While the ultimate goal hasn’t been achieved, Morey mentions that progress has still been made during his tenure.

“I do think we’re a much better team than we were the prior year or the year before that,” he explained. “Obviously, to win the championship, you have to make it farther than the second round. So I understand the math of that, but I would say there’s been a lot of progress within that. (Tyrese) Maxey taking big steps forward. Joel (Embiid) progressing to the MVP. I think James Harden was better than the second-best player we’ve had. This year, we lost to a heck of a team in the Boston Celtics, who have a very good chance of going on to win the championship. Progress is there, in my opinion.”

The offseason won’t be easy for Morey, who has to get creative through significant changes. For starters, the Sixers will need to find a replacement for Rivers. Then, they have to work on getting James Harden back on the roster or find an alternative with limited options while still putting together a reliable supporting cast.

Pressure is applied to the front office this season, but jobs there won’t be lost over another second-round exit. However, the bar doesn’t get any lower moving forward, and Morey knows that.

“If we don’t advance, I understand that if something happens from there,” the President of Basketball Ops stated. “I think number one, it is a collective effort, but I was brought in for a reason just like coach Rivers was. So, I would put it on myself first. I don’t accept that we haven’t advanced.”