76ers executive Daryl Morey is perhaps one of the most well-known names in his field. Most known for his time with the Rockets, Morey earned legendary status for his role in building the James Harden Rockets teams. Morey has always been heavy on analytics and it may actually be what cost him his job on the Houston Rockets.
“One of the things that led to Tilman Fertitta wanting Daryl Morey out of Houston is that they would literally lose a playoff game or a series and Daryl would walk up to him with the analytics saying, ‘See, we actually won,'” said Stephen A. Smith. “He’s respected for his analytics and he knows the game of basketball but he hasn’t won a championship yet.”
Analytics have become increasingly important over the years as teams and players continue to find new ways to optimize their offense. In the mid-2010s, as the three-point revolution was in full swing, many teams committed their resources to understanding analytics and using the information to build a winning game plan.
Morey was among the pioneers of the analytic revolution but the results have been mixed so far. After being hired as GM of the Rockets in 2007, they rose to prominence by trading for James Harden and having him lead one of the best offensive stretches by any team in modern NBA history. From 2007-2020, the Rockets finished with the second-most wins in the league with several deep playoff runs to show for it.
In 2020, however, Morey stepped down from the Rockets in what was assumed to be a mutual breakup. Now, we know that Morey’s over-commitment to analytics is what actually pushed him out.
As the Houston Rockets were gaining ground in the standings, they doubled down on their formula and shot more threes than ever before. In Game 7 of the 2018 Finals, the ugly side of three-point basketball was made known when the Rockets missed 27 consecutive three-pointers in Game 7 of the 2018 Western Conference Finals.
Harden ended up leaving the Rockets in a bitter divorce and the “golden era” concluded without a single title win. After Morey stepped down, he took on a new job with the Philadelphia 76ers where he currently acts as their President of Basketball Operations.
In Houston, Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta was clearly tired of hearing Morey’s excuses following disappointing losses year after year. No matter what the numbers said, the Rockets kept losing when it mattered the most and the last straw for Fertitta was when his GM tried to play it off as a win.
Today, Morey is still considered one of the best executives in the league but after a failed stint in Houston, a falling out with James Harden, and major struggles with the 76ers, there are questions on whether or not a championship is in his future.
This season, with Embiid and Paul George, Morey has another chance to make that coveted title run but it’s already coming with some early setbacks. For Morey’s sake, the 76ers need to get right and find their way or things could start to get ugly just like they did in Houston.
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