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Morey Addresses Embiid, Courtship, System, Roster

November 2nd, 2020 at 6:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Sixers’ new president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey, insisted during his introductory press conference that he views Joel Embiid as the leader of a championship team rather than a trade piece, Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com relays.

After the longtime Rockets executive embraced small ball with his former team, there’s been speculation that Embiid’s days in Philadelphia might be numbered. Morey says that’s way off base.

“Joel is a dominant, dominant big man. I’m excited to get back to that,” he said. “I worked with Yao Ming and we got very close [to a title] in Houston with Yao Ming. I think we can go all the way with Joel.”

While Embiid is often colorful and sometimes controversial, Morey sees the oft-injured center as the leader of the team. Morey noted that Embiid has been in the team’s practice facility twice a day working out and getting his body in top condition for next season.

“I’ve talked to him, Elton (Brand) obviously knows him well, Doc (Rivers) has talked to him, he wants to win a championship,” Morey said. “He’s a smart player who knows you only have so many opportunities. He pushed everyone to improve the organization, improve the roster, and frankly I’m excited to go on this journey with Joel and Ben (Simmons) moving forward.”

Morey also addressed a number of other topics:

Morey originally planned to take a year off after leaving Houston but, somewhat to the dismay of his family, the Sixers’ lobbying efforts won him over, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “Elton and Doc and Josh were relentless, just relentless, as soon as I stepped away. (Rivers) and I have been chatting a lot, and the more you dig into the players that are here, the more you get excited about what this team can do.”
The Sixers won’t play the same system as the Rockets, who tried to win a championship without a traditional center after trading Clint Capela. “It’s not to take your talent and hammer it into a particular system,” he said. “It’s to try to get the most out of who you have.”
He didn’t specifically address his controversial tweet about Hong Kong which drew the wrath of the Chinese government but Morey won’t shy away from social issues, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. “I do believe a lot in using this platform to push things that are important,” he said.
Morey admits the roster needs to be reshaped in order to produce a true title contender, Pompey adds in another tweet. “Our championship team probably is not going to have the same players that we have now,” he said.
Philadelphia’s pursuit of Morey two years earlier never led to serious negotiations, Derek Bodner of The Athletic tweets. Morey said the talks did not go beyond the preliminary stages and the timing wasn’t right for him to make the move.

Sixers, Alex Rucker Part Ways

November 2nd, 2020 at 4:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers have parted ways with executive vice president of basketball operations Alex Rucker, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Adam Aaronson of The Rights To Ricky Sanchez podcast first reported on Sunday that Rucker was “out,” though the move has been anticipated for months.

Just last week, Pompey reported that Rucker was expected to remain with the team through a “transition period” as Daryl Morey came aboard before eventually departing the organization. It seems that transition period only lasted a few days.

Rucker’s departure from the 76ers is part of the team’s front office overhaul, which includes not just the hiring of Morey as the new president of basketball operations, but also the addition of Peter Dinwiddie as the new executive VP of basketball ops, the position held by Rucker for the last two years. According to Pompey, Rucker was initially reassigned when Dinwiddie was hired.

Prior to Morey’s arrival, general manager Elton Brand held the top title in Philadelphia’s basketball operations department and faced much of the criticism for any missteps by the front office. However, Rucker had been “heavily involved” in those decisions as well, sources tell Pompey.

Before he joined the 76ers in 2016, Rucker was part of the Raptors’ analytics department.

Sixers Officially Hire Daryl Morey As President Of Basketball Operations

November 2nd, 2020 at 7:21am CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers have made it official, announcing today in a press release that they’ve hired Daryl Morey as their new president of basketball operations. Within the release, the club also confirmed that general manager Elton Brand has signed a multiyear contract extension.

“Daryl Morey is one of the very best front-office executives in the NBA and I’m thrilled to welcome him to Philadelphia as the 76ers President of Basketball Operations,” Sixers owner Josh Harris said in a statement. “Talent like Daryl rarely becomes available so we moved quickly and aggressively to bring him here. He has an extraordinary track record of success in this league as an innovator, visionary and leader, and I believe he significantly improves our chances of delivering a championship caliber team to our fans.

“This offseason, we made it our mission to make this organization better and stronger. By hiring a tremendous front-office leader in Daryl and championship coach in Doc (Rivers), as well as extending Elton, we’re proud of what we’ve assembled. I’m excited for their leadership and look forward to continuing to build a team this city and our fans can be proud of.”

Reports first indicated last Wednesday that the Sixers and Morey were in advanced talks on a five-year deal that would make him the team’s president of basketball operations. David Aldridge of The Athletic said at the time that the team envisions Morey and Brand as a “1-2 punch” in the front office, though their titles suggest that Morey will be the one with the final say on basketball decisions.

Morey spent 14 years with the Rockets before parting ways with the franchise in October. In Houston, he developed a reputation as a outside-the-box thinker who was creative in navigating the salary cap and building his roster. The veteran executive, who was known for constantly pursuing star players, helped to revolutionize the Rockets as a small-ball team that relied heavily on shooting three-pointers.

At the time of his departure from Houston, reports indicated that Morey may take some time off before seeking a new NBA job, but the Sixers’ aggressive pursuit convinced him to accept a new position almost immediately. Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta had predicted that Morey would eventually join an East Coast franchise, but likely didn’t think it would happen so soon.

For the 76ers, it’s the culmination of their long-standing interest in Morey. Philadelphia received permission to talk to the Rockets’ GM two years ago and reportedly made an offer, but he elected to remain in Houston at that time. Now, Morey will be tasked with making the adjustments necessary to turn a roster headed by All-Stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons into a legit championship contender.

The Sixers have indicated both publicly and privately that it has no plans to trade Embiid or Simmons anytime soon, despite the fact that the fit between the two stars has been awkward at times. However, oversized long-term contracts for Tobias Harris and Al Horford will make it a challenge for the club to reshape its roster around its two franchise players.

Morey said in a statement within today’s Sixers press release that he’s looking forward to trying to win a title in Philadelphia.

“I am humbled by the challenge and will work tirelessly to win the hearts of Philadelphia’s legendary fans,” Morey said. “The opportunity to work again with Doc Rivers, Elton Brand, and a stacked roster that is ready to win made this a can’t miss opportunity.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Elton Brand Gets Extension From Sixers

November 1st, 2020 at 11:13am CST by Arthur Hill

General manager Elton Brand has signed a multiyear contract extension with the Sixers, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Charania adds that a five-year deal with Daryl Morey has been finalized, and he will be introduced as the team’s new president of basketball operations on Monday at a news conference.

Brand has been with the Sixers’ front office since 2016, becoming a player development consultant after his 16-year playing career ended. He was named general manager of their G League affiliate a year later and was promoted to his current position in 2018.

Brand may have agreed to the extension before news broke that Morey was joining the organization. A source told Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer earlier this week that Brand has three years remaining on his contract, but ESPN’s Brian Windhorst cited that as a new development (hat tip to RealGM).

“There’s a report out of Philly today, from Keith Pompey, that Elton Brand has three years left on his contract,” Windhorst said Wednesday. “Well, a month ago he had one year left on his contract, so I think there was a possibility Elton Brand got a contract extension that they didn’t announce.”

The organization reportedly views Morey and Brand as a “1-2 punch” as a management team, though Morey will rank higher in the front office hierarchy. Both execs are accustomed to being in charge of personnel decisions, as Morey served as the general manager in Houston for 14 years before leaving the Rockets last month.

Sam Hinkie: “Zero” Chance Of Returning To NBA

October 31st, 2020 at 1:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie, the architect of “The Process,” said he’s “stoked” to see his longtime friend and former boss Daryl Morey take over as the new president of basketball operations in Philadelphia. However, Hinkie himself won’t be returning to the franchise in a role under Morey, as he told Pablo Torre on the ESPN Daily podcast.

“Zero,” Hinkie said when asked by Torre for the odds that he’ll join Morey in the Sixers’ front office (hat tip to RealGM). “I’ve turned that chapter for sure. That part of my life. I very much like what I’m doing now. I like surrounding myself with people who think in sort of the time frames I do, which is often longer. That are quite comfortable with long feedback loops. That want to do the kinds of things I do, which is bet on young people and watch them flourish.”

Hinkie, who is running a venture capital firm known as Eighty-Seven Capital, offered the same response when asked by Torre for the odds that he’ll return to an NBA front office in any capacity.

“Zero. Zero,” he said. “The same.”

The head of basketball operations in Philadelphia for three years from 2013-16, Hinkie took an extreme approach to the Sixers’ rebuild, as the team bottomed out to previously unforeseen lows while stockpiling future assets.

The 76ers posted a record of 47-199 (.191) during Hinkie’s tenure, culminating with a 10-72 showing in 2015/16. However, Philadelphia also drafted future All-NBA center Joel Embiid in 2014 and positioned itself to select Ben Simmons in 2016, shortly after Hinkie’s departure from the franchise.

Prior to his arrival in Philadelphia, Hinkie worked in the Rockets’ front office under Morey from 2005-13. He hasn’t held an NBA job since leaving the Sixers though, and his comments to Torre indicate he doesn’t expect to ever do so again.

Hinkie Sees Morey Hiring As Great Move

October 30th, 2020 at 6:17pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Former Sixers executive Sam Hinkie believes his former team made a smart move by hiring Daryl Morey to run their basketball operations, he told ESPN’s Pablo Torre (hat tip to RealGM). “I think it’s great news. He’s not a good hire. He’s a great hire,” he said. “It’s a really big move for the franchise. For a franchise I care a lot about. With a bunch of people I care a lot about.”

Former Sixers executive Sam Hinkie believes his former team made a smart move by hiring Daryl Morey to run their basketball operations, he told ESPN’s Pablo Torre (hat tip to RealGM). “I think it’s great news. He’s not a good hire. He’s a great hire,” he said. “It’s a really big move for the franchise. For a franchise I care a lot about. With a bunch of people I care a lot about.”
Brian Adams is joining Doc Rivers’ Sixers staff, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. Adams worked under Rivers for both the Celtics and Clippers before a two-season stint as head coach of the Clippers’ G League team, Agua Caliente.

Nets To Hire Mike D’Antoni, Ime Udoka As Assistants

October 30th, 2020 at 8:45am CST by Luke Adams

A pair of notable coaches are joining Steve Nash‘s staff in Brooklyn as assistants, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that Mike D’Antoni and Ime Udoka are finalizing deals with the Nets.

D’Antoni, who parted ways with the Rockets following the team’s elimination from the postseason in September, ranks 20th among head coaches on the NBA’s all-time list of wins. In addition to coaching the Rockets, he has been on the sidelines for the Lakers, Knicks, Nuggets, and – most notably – the Suns, where he lead two-time MVP Nash to back-to-back appearances in the Western Finals.

By joining the Nets, D’Antoni will reunite with Nash and provide the sort of veteran experience that the first-time head coach could use on his staff.

As for Udoka, he has never been an NBA head coach, but he has proven his bona fides as an assistant, serving on Gregg Popovich‘s staff in San Antonio for seven years before joining the Sixers for the 2019/20 season.

There was a time when it looked like Udoka would receive a shot at a head coaching job this year — he was linked to the Nets, Bulls, Pacers, Knicks, and 76ers jobs, but was passed over in each instance. Now he’ll get the opportunity to work under Nash in Brooklyn, as the Nets – led by a healthy Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving – look to make a deep playoff run in 2021.

Nash’s staff will also include former Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn, who was retained as an assistant after missing out on the permanent coaching job. When word broke that the Nets were retaining Vaughn, Wojnarowski reported that he would be the highest-paid assistant in the NBA — it’s not clear if that’s still the case, but it’s probably safe to assume Brooklyn spared no expense bringing in D’Antoni and Udoka.

No Expectation Sixers Will Move Embiid Or Simmons In 2020/21

October 29th, 2020 at 4:11pm CST by Luke Adams

Within his story on the Sixers‘ hiring of Daryl Morey, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer says executives around the NBA would be shocked if the team breaks up the Joel Embiid/Ben Simmons duo during the coming offseason or the 2020/21 season. That lines up with what Elton Brand said publicly over the summer, and it sounds like Morey’s arrival won’t change that.

Lakers, Bucks, Sixers Have Interest In Tyrell Terry

October 29th, 2020 at 3:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers, Bucks, and Sixers are among the teams displaying interest in Stanford’s Tyrell Terry, according to Wasserman.

[SOURCE LINK]

Rockets Notes: Harden, Silas, Alston

October 29th, 2020 at 2:02pm CST by Luke Adams

With Daryl Morey poised to join the Sixers as their new president of basketball operations, there has been plenty of speculation within the last 24 hours about the possibility of Morey getting back in touch with the Rockets to inquire about the possibility about acquiring his longtime superstar James Harden.

While Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link) says he wouldn’t be surprised if Morey contacts the Rockets this offseason with a proposal involving Harden, he stresses that Houston’s answer will be a “firm no.” MacMahon reiterated this point during an appearance on Brian Windhorst’s Hoop Collective podcast, as RealGM relays.

“I’ve already been told – with a few expletives included – by somebody with the Rockets: ‘No, Daryl, James Harden for Ben Simmons is not happening. Don’t ask,'” MacMahon said.

Here’s more on the Rockets:

When the Rockets launched their head coaching search, they weren’t necessarily looking for a specific type of coach — they were simply looking for “talent,” according to Kelly Iko and Tim Cato of The Athletic. That’s why the team’s list of rumored targets was made up of a wide variety of candidates, including multiple former head coaches and several – like Stephen Silas – who would be first-timers. Ultimately, the club was won over by Silas’ meticulousness, his thoughtful and detailed answers, and the way he carried himself, per Iko and Cato.
Former NBA guard Rafer Alston is seriously interested in coaching at the NBA level and is specifically hoping to join the Rockets’ staff, he tells Iko (Twitter link).
Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle is losing one of his top assistants in Silas, but he lauded the Rockets for making a “great hire,” as MacMahon tweets. “Stephen did a great job for us here in Dallas helping us get back to the playoffs,” Carlisle said. “(I’m) thrilled for him and his family.”
In case you missed it within our story on Silas’ hiring from Wednesday, the Rockets have reportedly talked to Jeff Hornacek and Nate McMillan about the possibility of joining their coaching staff as assistants.

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