76ers cut ties with Daryl Morey as team president: Who might replace him?

Just two days after the Philadelphia 76ers were swept out of the Eastern Conference semifinals, the franchise is looking for a new head of basketball operations.

The 76ers fired former president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, the 76ers announced Tuesday, May 12.

Morey spent six seasons with the franchise.

This comes after Philadelphia was overmatched in the second round of the NBA playoffs, losing its four games against the New York Knicks by an average of 22.3 points per game.

Coach Nick Nurse will remain in his role. Bob Myers, the former general manager of the Golden State Warriors who oversaw four NBA championship teams, will lead the search for Morey’s replacement and will oversee basketball operations for Philadelphia in the interim.

“The process will start immediately, and we will be thorough and deliberate in our evaluations,” Myers said Tuesday in a statement. “I believe this is a destination for top talent across the league and look forward to solidifying our infrastructure moving forward.”

Myers is the president of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE).

Here are some potential candidates to replace Morey as the president of basketball operations of the Philadelphia 76ers:

Elton Brand, 76ers general manager

Given that Myers will evaluate the incumbent staff on the 76ers, Brand, Philadelphia’s current general manager, should be the first person under consideration should Myers and the Sixers prefer an internal candidate.

Brand’s future in Philadelphia, however, may end up being tenuous. Often, when major changes are made atop the basketball ops department, a larger overhaul takes place. That could prompt the desire for new perspectives on the franchise, even though Brand was merely executing Morey’s vision. To that point, in the announcement the Sixers made, team owner Josh Harris cited the need for a “fresh start.”

Yet, if Myers and the Sixers conclude that some continuity would be beneficial, Brand, who played five seasons for the 76ers (2008-12; 2016) is the obvious choice.

Larry Harris, Warriors assistant general manager/director of player personnel

In theory, Myers’ ties to Golden State should instantly make their top front office execs potential targets for the Sixers search. Harris is the most seamless fit. He has been with the Warriors since 2008 and is one of the franchise’s top player evaluators and has a wealth of institutional knowledge about the culture the Warriors have established. Harris also spent 20 seasons with the Bucks and has filled just about every role in basketball operations.

Aside from that wealth of experience, his relationship with Myers could make him one of the top candidates. In fact, consider this quote from Myers on Harris from the time both worked together.

“If you look at our track record, he’s been involved in all of it,” Myers said of Harris in 2018, according to Bay Area News Group. “He’s been a great reason why we’ve had some success. He’s been a huge part of it. For me, I know without him, we wouldn’t be where we are.”

Jesse Gould, Thunder vice president of basketball operations

If Myers and the 76ers want to tap into the success Oklahoma City has had, Gould could be an appealing option. He has spent 16 seasons with the Thunder and has served a variety of roles, including a director of pro evaluation role in which he oversaw the roster construction and management of the Thunder’s G League affiliate squad. Gould is also a Philadelphia native.

Should the Sixers favor someone with more general manager experience, the Thunder also have another VP of basketball ops in Rob Hennigan, who was the GM of the Magic for five seasons before he joined Oklahoma City in 2017. Hennigan has also spent time with the Spurs and was a part of their 2005 and 2007 championship teams.

Mike Zarren, Celtics vice president of basketball operations and team counsel

This is a case where it might be difficult to pry him away from Boston, where has been with the team for 21 seasons. Not only that, but Zarren grew up a Celtics fan and was a long-time season ticket holder. Yet, Zarren was actually a candidate for the 76ers general manager job in 2013 that went to Sam Hinkie, he of “trust the process” fame. Zarren is a key figure in talent evaluation and strategy for Boston under Brad Stevens, so he’s widely respected around the league.

Bob Myers, president of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment

Could Sixers owner Josh Harris convince Myers to simply take the job? Since his departure from Golden State, Myers has long been one of the most desirable candidates for teams looking to fill a president of basketball operations role. He has the track record of building champions and managing large personalities.

With big questions facing Philadelphia concerning the contracts of Joel Embiid and Paul George, Myers would certainly be well equipped to guide the Sixers forward. The question is whether Myers, who has also worked as an ESPN analyst after his Warriors days, wants the full-time gig. But, given that Harris currently employs him as the president of HBSE, and given that Myers will serve as the acting president of basketball operations, the two sides are practically there.

This story has been updated with new information.