Just a handful of months ago, Daryl Morey was being called a “liar” as a future Hall of Famer he has pushed hard to bring to the 76ers was forcing his way out of Philadelphia.
That seems like a forgotten nightmare now. The 76ers are 16-7, Tyrese Maxey has taken a huge leap forward to an All-Star (maybe All-NBA) level, Joel Embiid is playing like an MVP again, new coach Nick Nurse has brought motion to the offense, and the franchise is poised to make a big move to round out the roster either around this trade deadline or with cap space next summer.
All that has earned Morey a contract extension, the 76ers announced Friday. The new deal takes Morey through the 2028 NBA season reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
“Daryl is one of the best front office executives in sports and I greatly value his leadership,” Josh Harris, 76ers Managing Partner, said in a statement announcing the deal. “I’m thrilled to have reached an agreement to extend his contract and look forward to working together to maximize our chances of competing for an NBA title.”
Morey has spent three years in Philadelphia and his team has lived on the cusp of contention each season, this one included. The 76ers have famously not gotten out of the second round of the playoffs in the Embiid era, although not all of that is on Morey (untimely injuries have played a role).
Philadelphia is good this season but feels one more playmaker away from truly threatening Boston and Milwaukee in a seven-game series. The first-round picks the 76ers got in trading Harden to the Clippers — plus movable contracts such as Marcus Morris — make Philly a threat to trade for any star or high-quality player that comes available. There is no reported interest (nor should there be) in Chicago’s
Zach LaVine, and the trade market is light on sellers to this point (one of the consequences of the play-in tournament), but the 76ers can move if the market opens up.
That kind of flexibility is the sign of a good team president.
The kind that earns an extension.
