In the NBA, front office decisions are heavily influenced by organizational culture and relationships rather than just basketball performance, as demonstrated by the Philadelphia 76ers firing GM Daryl Morey despite his successful roster construction, because internal conflicts with star players like Joel Embiid and James Harden created an untenable environment that ownership could no longer tolerate.
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Morey FIRED - What now for the 76ers?Added:
Good morning and welcome to the NBA daily for May 13, 2026. I'm Dave Defor here with Espar Henny. Coming up, the Spurs smash the Wolves in game five.
Tony Jones is here to talk about Daryl my being let go by the Sixers.
Good morning everybody. What is up S?
How's it going buddy?
>> Man, I'm doing all right man. Uh great game though. Yeah, for the Spurs, I will say it was an interesting game and I I believe that the Spurs I and I think that this happened before game five. I think the Spurs have the Wolves kind of figured out. I I likely think I think that they likely win game four if Victor Wmanyama isn't ejected, but game five, all Spurs 12697.
Wimby comes out of the gate with 16 points in the first six minutes. mad.
>> I got to say something. Okay. Yeah, he looked mad. He had some kind of a point to prove, but it was being sold like this was some sort of a redemption thing. And like he threw a nasty elbow >> into Nas Reed's neck. I I don't need that. I I don't mind him coming out being motivated. That's fine. Like he's a basketball player. He got thrown out.
He may be a little bit mad at himself, >> but it doesn't need to be painted as some kind of action.
>> He's back. Oh, wow. like like he was injured or something like no he committed a flagrant too. He was frankly probably a little bit lucky to avoid a suspension. I I don't think it should have gone there. And I don't think any any of >> I would have been shocked if they suspended.
>> Yeah, it would have been shocking. But still, if this is a regular season and he were suspended for a game, we we probably all would say, "Okay." Yeah. Um but not in the playoffs. But man, it was being sold like this guy had been hurt, you know, like like the Wolves had run him off the court. Um that being said, he came out.
>> He was incredible >> with a chip on his shoulder. He was fantastic. But I do think that the way it was framed was was pretty funny.
>> It was funny. Uh but truthfully, like it he was just incredible in this game. Uh the the way of course the scoring was awesome, especially out the gate. 16 points in that first quarter. Uh matched his playoff uh careerhigh for a quarter uh which he did like I don't know three games ago. Uh, at the same time, what he did defensively, and truthfully, what he continues to do defensively in this series is genuinely something I've never seen before. The amount of calculations the Timberwolves are doing in their heads, when Wem is on the floor versus when he's off the floor, uh, attacking the paint versus not attacking the paint, the never minds that everybody has become very, very accustomed to, it's all because of Victor Webbyama. and he has completely nullified both Rudiggo Bay and Julius Randle offensively in this series. Those guys don't exist offensively in this series. Uh and it just it's really hard for the Timberwolves to >> to your point about them being solved.
Uh it's just hard for them to get enough offense from that team when Anthony Edwards is getting double teamed and and kind of getting trapped everywhere on the floor and there's not enough outlets for them to score offensively. It's you're you're kind of chasing your tail at this point trying to find things for them. So yeah, >> that's a Victor Womenyama problem right there.
>> They've also the the Wolves I I got to say their offense left me puzzled at times. I didn't know what the what the point was a lot of times in their half court offense. They they've abandoned attacking the rim when WMBB's out there even though they they had success by making him work. Um I did think that their physicality on WBY in the game w was working. like they had him worn down. I I thought at times the game was tied at 61 apiece and it finishes 12697.
Thi this was completely like just a a switch was flipped by the Spurs at both ends and it didn't didn't hurt them that the Wolves just stopped running any sort of offense. Julius Randall with a lot of dribbling to nowhere. Um, and frankly, as good as Rudy has been up to this point in the playoffs, this game was absolutely atrocious uh, on both ends.
He didn't help them on the defensive end very much. And on offense, he was really a liability and they probably should have gone away from him a little bit faster, you know, than they did, but the Spurs have just they've got them figured out. If you're going to stay outside and shoot threes, they're going to let you, you know, and their guards are going to make those tough shots. But an unwillingness to even enter the paint when WY is out there. And then when he sits, this was the thing that really got me s they didn't attack Luke Cornett. So they were still just outside settling for outside shots. I didn't think that they went into the into the paint enough trying to get Luke Cornet in foul trouble, right? Like what you want to do is just make it harder on the Spurs to play like cuz Wimby we already know like there's a minutes limit >> for Wimby like he's he they do not want to put him at 40 minutes and I think up around 35 36 minutes we start to see that guy get gassed but they're just not making him work hard enough at at either end.
>> Yeah, I agree with that. I I also think, you know, like when it comes to athleticism, as crazy as it sounds from the Timberwolves side, because the Timberwolves have a lot of great athletes, too, between IO and Anthony Edwards and McDaniels, like those guys are very, very good athletes. Uh, but those are the only guys that are truthfully performing in this series right now. You talk about an athletic disadvantage. Rudy Gobear and Julius Randall really are seeing the limits of their athleticism against this Spurs team that is flying around everywhere and at any given moment you're dealing with Steph Castle on a switch or Dylan Harper on a switch or Carter Carter Bryant working on the help side. Uh and of course WBY. what they show you defensively is so much that I think >> Randall his sometimes he gets into his like isolation tunnel vision bag sometimes maybe a little uh complimentary generous >> yeah exactly a lot of times he gets into his isolation tunnel vision bag you just can't do that against the Spurs team you have to be able to move the ball that's what I think Ant has done really well in this series like his ability to move off of it quickly when he's getting trapped or recognizing when the double team is coming. Uh, and what can you like think of the growth that we've seen from Anthony Edwards from the Western Conference Finals a couple years ago to now when it comes to dealing with double teams and just reading the floor a little bit better. Um, that's an incredible part of this series. I think even if the Timberwolves do lose, right, >> I also think assessment wise moving forward for this Timberwolves team because it feels like this might be the last chance we get to talk about them until uh the summer, >> right?
What do they do to get this team over the hump? Because they've been knocking on the door. They obviously have this talented player who can be the number one on a championship team in Ant. What is the thing? What is the thing that they have to do to upgrade and get better? Is Giannis is Giannis the thing?
>> I don't know if Giannis is the thing.
Um, but some someone else I I believe is the thing. I I don't think Rudy is the problem. I I do think like Julius Randle is either. Yeah. I think Julius Randall is the guy who's going to get a lot of the fingerpointing and rightfully so.
Like this is supposed to be that the secondary creator. Anthony Edwards is getting doubled every single time. He's also playing on one leg.
>> Yeah.
>> And still performing. I mean at at a certain point like you need a Julius Randall game I if you're going to get to the conference finals. Uh I think Jade McDaniels could can even do more for them. Um you know offensively can do more too. Yeah.
>> Yeah. So, I mean, you know, and and again, it goes back to I I do believe that the philosophy that they've gone away from on offense where they were just they had dedicated themselves in game one. They were just pounding the paint. I mean, Wimby had 12 blocks. I mean, because he had so many opportunities, but it it puts pressure on the defense. Maybe you get your driving kick game going and you get a better look at these threes, but if you're not even willing to look at the basket when Wimby's on the court, you're just not going to score. And and again, I I think that the Spurs have played this perfectly. Uh their big guards have done a great job. I mean, Steph Castle has done a really good job guarding Julius Randall. They've been able to play smaller, which makes them faster and better on offense. And and the Wolves have not taken advantage of that in any way whatsoever.
>> It's funny to say smaller when Steph Castle is 6'5 and Dylan Harper's 66 and you're like, these are their guards, you know? These are the guys that they're dealing with on >> they're all playing up. This is the thing is like you know every sing like Harper who was excellent. We'll talk about him in a second. But Harper and Castle their ability to guard up to guard these fours. Yes.
>> You know you can put them on Nas Reed and and they're not just going to get mashed into the pavement. I like this has been huge.
>> You know who that reminds me of?
>> The Oklahoma City Thunder. Cuz like Dort, Alex Caruso, Kase Wallace. you can put those guys on taller guys, bigger guys, and you kind of live with those positions. That's why that matchup if we end up getting it is going to be so fascinating cuz both these teams are like a mirror image of each other.
>> Tons of ball handling, >> tons of uh of switchable defenders, just interchangeable parts. Yeah, it's going to I mean, if we get there, which it does feel like Spurs are up three games to two, I do feel like they're they're in control of this series more so than just being up 3 to2. I just feel like they are the better team, especially right now. I wish we could have gotten this series at full health. I do want to hit Dylan Harper cuz I asked you the other night, is he their second best player? Is he the Spurs second best player? I mean, I think you watch a game like this. Yes. Like, this is the the future core of this team is Victor Wimyama, Dylan Harper, and then insert other names. It's those two guys.
>> I have to include Steph Castle.
>> Sure. Absolutely. He's the third guy, though.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. If if we if I were to make a comp, this would be KD, Westbrook, and Harden. And and hopefully these guys never break up, you know? Uh and I I think the great thing about all three of these players in WBY and Harper and Castle is that it's so unique, right? The it's the two guards that are getting downhill, that are barreling their way to the basket, that are driving the offense, and then it's WBY who's the guy spacing the floor. the 7footer, the 7 foot4 guy is the guy spacing the floor, stretching the defense, obviously playing incredible defense on the other side, but it's so counter to what most people might think of when it comes to basketball where it's like, oh, the big guy is scoring inside and then it's the the guards who are scoring outside on the perimeter.
But no, the Spurs flip this on its head.
Uh, and I think that's that's what makes them really fun to watch. Of course, the defensive side of the ball, too. There's a togetherness to what they do. uh and drive. I love guards who are able to drive the way Dylan Harper and Steph Castle can. And when you have that, you have that tangible physical play that those guys can provide. Uh it's genuinely incredible to watch. So yeah, I I don't know, man. Maybe he is the second best player. He he's like he could be a first team. If we were to look back at this in five years and say Dylan Harper has made like >> two AllNBA teams already, wouldn't be surprised. Would not be surprised at all. I think there's a world in which in this very talented draft class that he was a part of that four or five years from now we all kind of say, "Oh, this was the most talented guy." I I've had a lot of people in my ear saying that all season long. I think we're actually starting to see that as he's matured over the course of the season. And you're watching him in these high leverage positions and he just does not look like a rookie. Yeah. At all.
>> Absolutely.
>> Yeah. All right, guys. Stick around after the break. Daryl my was fired by the Sixers. We got Tony Jones here to tell us all about it.
Hot on the heels of being swept out of the playoffs by the New York Knicks, the Philadelphia 76ers parted ways yesterday with general manager Daryl Mor. Here to join us to talk about it, our Philadelphia 76ers beat writer at The Athletic and my good buddy Tony Jones.
What's up, buddy? Uh, hey, full disclosure. I'm going to let everybody know >> we already recorded >> Yeah.
>> an 18minute segment about two hours before Daryl my got fired. So, we predicted this.
>> This is we we did in in the segment. We said, "Hey, I don't know. Doesn't seem like it's very good." Tony, uh, I don't think it was going well for Daryl.
>> Yeah, it it was, you know, it was I think I'm a little surprised by the timing. I thought it would take uh another few days. Um but you know, I I get it from ownership perspective. Um the meat of the combine starts essentially tomorrow.
>> Yeah.
>> Um and you know, you kind of want some um you kind of don't want to go into that, you know, with ambiguity uh with your front office. So, I think that kind of sped up the timeline a little bit of, you know, ownership, you know, having to make a final decision.
And ultimately, the decision was, hey, we've been good, but, you know, this is the Philadelphia 76ers, and this is probably more important.
This is the Eastern Conference, not the Western Conference, and we have yet to go to a conference finals. So, you know, I think if you looked at this Knicks series and you look at, you know, the violence of it, 40, the Knicks taking over Xfinity Mobile Arena, um the the Sixers allowing 144 points at home in a playoff game, in a closeout game, something had to change. And if you can't change the roster, then something is probably going to have to change up top. And you know, it was Daryl my >> then you you change the guy who built the roster because that's what Daryl my has been doing for the last six seasons.
Whether it's obviously drafting Tyrese Maxi and Jared McCain and BJ Edgecomb, >> trading Jared McCain, >> trading Jared McCain, extending Joel Embiid, signing Paul George. Like really this is a Daryl my project. this entire team is uh top from top down. Do you think it is somewhat poetic that of all people Bob Meyers is going to be stepping in as interim GM to just kind of keep things sailing before they find someone else to be president of basketball operations? Is it not somewhat funny or maybe ironic that he's the guy >> I think I think there's some irony involved. Um, >> I think you could probably make some some this is too soon jokes >> about this right now.
>> Um, you know, I think, you know, some things from from Daryl's point of view, you know, I think that he's disappointed that this decision was made.
>> Yeah.
>> Uh, surprised that this decision was made. um you know he wanted to see this to the end, >> right? And he wanted to see this through and he thought that you know he had you know built an infrastructure even around um the the contracts to see it through.
You know he's the the uh the Clippers pick in 28, you know, is a particular particularly valuable asset as well as the 29 pick swap. Um, and you know, and I think that, um, you know, and I I just think that that, you know, Daryl was disappointed that he did not see this through. I can tell you through sources that Daryl very much wants to work again. Um, um, you know, he's probably going to take the the the year off.
>> U, but he he very much wants to work again. I learned that tonight through sources. But, you know, my sources, team sources tell me that, you know, ownership was, you know, there were there were five of the last six years, all right, we make the playoffs, but we don't get past the second round. But I think a really important thing uh through sources is that the last two years were pretty chaotic internally.
And I think that that had um that has something to do with, you know, ownership saying, "Okay, we might need, you know, a new strategic voice at the top >> uh to try to get to where we need to go."
>> What do you mean chaotic? Can you elaborate any?
>> Well, a lot of that was in, you know, right? you know, the the shoot around >> uh that that happened in Washington that almost did not happen because players had to be talked off the ledge because, >> you know, there was there was a um let's say a gap so to speak in player participation in team activities. Um, you know, so I think that that was, you know, and and just overall, you know, just kind of unrest internally, you know, knowing some of the things that I know that went on behind the scenes this year, kind of amazed this team won 45 games. Um, >> are you surprised? Yeah. I mean, does given that, are you surprised that they've decided that they're going to stay with Nick Nurse? Because wouldn't it wouldn't that be even more involved in the day-to-day and if there's problems behind the scenes in the locker room you >> feel like a clean slate, right?
>> Yeah. Yeah. So, that's a that's a really good question and you know and the answer is I think that ownership looks at Nick and and says we have to give you a pass because you just have not had full rosters to deal with.
And you know, and I think that there's some some thought among ownership that because of that, we can't really make a full evaluation of you, but we know that you're a championship level coach. We know that your players play for you. We know that you have the backing of some key players in the locker room. And I think that that that kind of that really goes far, you know, um because one of the reasons that Michael Malone is no longer in Denver is because he lost the key players in his locker room.
>> And I think that one of the reasons why Nick Nurse is still here is because he has the key players in his locker room.
Um so, you know, I think that that those are those are some of the the things um that that you look at. And listen, you know, there's a there's probably going to be a new uh there's probably going to be a new um GM, >> right? It's probably going to be a brand spanking new GM.
>> Who's to say that he doesn't come in in a year and in a year, you know, he says, you know, I want a new coach, >> right? Because that's his decision, right?
>> And that's that's the the pitfalls of making a move like this. Correct.
>> Yeah. And it puts a lot of pressure on Nick Nurse to win next year and actually win big.
>> I mean, looking looking forward at who might actually step into this situation, this is a really hard situation for a general manager to step into because the the like you mentioned the contractual situations of Embiid and Paul George.
And you know, in the previous podcast we recorded, we talked about building around the margins and and working on internal development for this group. Um, who do you think might be a candidate to be the GM of the Philadelphia 76ers? I know it's early, but if you if you can think of any names.
>> Uh, I I I pressed my sources on that.
Um, I didn't get anything.
Um, I think um, everybody would love to to pry Tim Connelly away from Minnesota.
>> Probably don't think that's going to happen, >> but You know, I know that Travis Schlank is out there and you know, he's somebody that that came up under Bob Meyers and you know, this is not me reporting that he is >> sure. Yeah. Yeah.
>> He is a candidate, but you know, he's out there like >> it's a relationship business. The NBA, >> it's a relationship business.
>> Is there anybody internally that that could maybe like get a bump up? I mean, maybe just some darkhorse candidate we don't know about >> that. that I I couldn't say. Um, but I do think that there are, you know, are a couple of people who I think are going to end up running a team at some point in internally and I think Jir Nelson is one of them. Um, you know, he's in his first year's assistant GM.
I think that he's been, you know, instrumental. Again, this is not me reporting that he is a candidate, but you know, he is somebody who >> one of the names that could be considered, right? Yeah.
>> Yeah. I mean, he's I think that he's one of the names that theoretically could be considered.
>> Yeah.
>> But, you know, and I you know, I think that we're going to >> you know, listen, nobody wants to go into draft and free agency without a GM in place.
>> Yeah.
>> So, my thought is this is going to go rather quickly. Um, you know, and I think that ownership is in Bob, they're resolute that, you know, they're going to take their time and try to get get the hire correctly.
>> Um, get the hire correct. But, you know, like I said, nobody nobody wants to go into the draft and say, "Hey, we're drafting without a GM."
>> Well, and especially because look, for for whatever people think about Daryl my job that he's done, he's a good GM. I think his track record with in Houston and here in Philly, he put together a good team. Had this team been healthy, they would have performed better >> and maybe some of the behind-the-scenes stuff doesn't happen, right? I like So to defend him there, he's done a pretty good job. And so to let him go at this point of your year where you're heading into we're looking at the draft, we're thinking about free agency, what are we going to, you know, what moves we're going to make this summer. You better have an idea of someone at least on the same level, if not an upgrade. I just don't know where that's going to be. Uh Tony, I like what is what is the main priority for the new guy when he comes in or, you know, a new woman when she comes in? The main priority for the new hire has got to be to be on the same page as Joel Embiid.
Got to be.
>> Yeah.
>> Um I think that what happened today is uh a pretty powerful message sent from ownership that we have got to stop going through some of the internal stuff that we've gone through in the last two years.
And I think that that's um um you know that that's something because Daryl is a good GM.
>> Yeah.
>> And you know I just think that you know um being at odds with Joel and previously being at odds with James Harden um you know that's something that became untenable at the the ownership level.
So, like we said, this is a relationship's business. And you know, if you're going to win a championship, everybody's got to be pulling on the same on the rope at the same time in the same direction. So, I think that, you know, relationship wise, new hires got to come in, be on the same page with Joel, be on the same page with Tyrese Maxi, be on the same page with VJ Ekkum.
If that happens, that's going to trickle down to the rest of the roster, be on the same page with Coach Nurse, and, you know, try to go and figure this thing out because the New York Knicks showed you in no uncertain terms that you were far away from the top of the mountain in the in the Eastern Conference and the Sixers have to figure out how to climb that mountain.
>> Mhm. Tony, I'm kind of curious because obviously you've been covering the league for a really long time. You covered the Jazz for a very long time.
Uh, and you've seen teams kind of go through their life cycles. Uh, but you've also like there's a blame game that goes around when expectations don't match reality. How does that blame game work in the NBA? Like is there is it all relationships based or and not just necessarily when it comes to the Sixers, but generally from what you've seen, uh, how does the blame game work when it comes to when something doesn't go the way a team expects it to?
Yeah, that's a great question. Um, you know, I think that that I've dealt with a couple of those, right? Um, >> in Utah, I dealt with Quinn Snider and Dennis Lindsay, two people who I, you know, really like dearly.
>> Yeah.
>> Really going at it. and and you know and it ended up with both of them elsewhere.
Um first Dennis Lindsay and then you know and then Quinn Snyder, but that precipitated with the change in ownership.
>> Had that change in ownership not been made, I'm convinced Dennis Lindsay might still be there, >> right?
>> Um so there's that. And then, you know, in Denver in 2024, I want to say, or was it 2025? But, um, the coach, >> the Malone situation 25.
>> Yeah. The coach and GM hated each other.
Couldn't stand to be in the same building each other. And ownership fun ownership met with those two in January of that year and told them to knock it off and they couldn't. So, both of them got fired.
>> Yeah.
>> And >> but if Michael Malone doesn't lose the locker room, he's probably still there, right?
>> If Michael Malone doesn't lose the locker room, he's probably still there.
But they also dismiss Calvin Boof strictly because they did not want it to appear publicly that Calvin Boof won the Tug War with Michael Malone.
>> So, so it's PR.
>> It's PR. Yeah.
>> So, and here what we have is, you know, a team that that improbably beats the Boston Celtics.
>> Yeah.
>> And you're on the high of highs and then now you're on the low of lows eight days later and then all of the bad feeling from what happened during the regular season comes back, right?
>> Mhm. and something has to change and ownership says, "Well, we're just going to start with the GM and we're going to dismiss him."
>> Yeah.
>> So, it it it happens for differing reasons. And, you know, and I could say in probably all three of those scenarios that I covered, it didn't have anything to do with the ability to actually do the job, right? I think in this case it did have something to do because you know the Jerry McCain thing I think it was but a lot of in this case you know it had to do with you know stuff other than doing the actual job.
>> Yeah. So >> maybe maybe Josh Harris watched the Thunder sweep the Lakers night before last and he was just like you know what can't do it anymore. Well, it's actually funny that you say that because the Lakers were the complete antithesis of the 76ers >> 24 hours ago. 24 hours, right?
>> The Sixers pretty much laid down in their game four.
>> Mhm.
>> And the the Lakers went out, you know, they went out like G's.
>> Yeah. They showed a lot of heart. They almost did it. Yeah.
>> Listen, I I'll say this. If you're a GM, don't trade Luca Donuch. And I can guarantee you won't get fired for trading Luca Donuch. That That's about the only thing I can guarantee.
Everybody, go and read Tony Jones. Uh go read his his recap piece uh of the season looking back. And go read about uh Daryl my 76ers go from here. Thank you, Tony, for hanging out with us.
Appreciate you, buddy.
>> Thanks, guys. Appreciate y'all. Before we get out of here, we wanted to add our condolences. Uh it was a very sad day around the NBA and the basketball world yesterday. Brandon Clark, forward for the Memphis Grizzlies, passed away at age 29. And Jason Collins, former NBA player, first professional male athlete in the four major sports to be an openly gay active player. Jason Collins passed away at the age of 47 from glyobblasto.
So, we want to extend our condolences to their families, to the Grizzlies. Yeah.
Uh to everybody around the basketball world. Um very sad day. S >> it it's always a sad day when when things like this happen. Uh and absolutely a condolences to their family, to the loved ones around them.
Uh death isn't easy on anybody and I just I wish everybody the best. It's really hard to see this happen. Uh two guys who were were young, 29 and 47 years old. Like that's that's the hard part about this. But again, condolences to their family and uh to to everybody around them. Tough day for the NBA.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Really tough. Uh thank you guys for listening. That's it for the show uh for Tony Jones and Esper Henny.
I'm Dave Defor and this has been the NBA Daily. Thanks for waking up with us.
Thanks for listening. Make sure you hit the subscribe or follow button so you never miss an episode. If you enjoyed it, drop a like, leave a rating, or let us know in the comments. Thank you guys for waking up with us.
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