The Philadelphia 76ers have made the playoffs in five of the last six seasons. They won 45 games this year and overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat the Boston Celtics in a first-round series.
But, in those six seasons, the Sixers never advanced past the second round. Ultimately, as team sources told The Athletic, those results weren’t good enough. And that caused Philadelphia’s ownership group, led by Sixers governor Josh Harris, to part ways with team president Daryl Morey and search for a new strategic voice to lead basketball operations.
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Morey’s dismissal is isolated, according to team sources. The rest of the front office remains intact and will be evaluated by the incoming hire. That includes team executives Elton Brand and former Saint Joseph’s star and NBA veteran Jameer Nelson. Bob Myers, who is the president of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) and former general manager of the Golden State Warriors, will oversee the department in the interim.
“To our fans, your frustration and disappointment are understandable and warranted,” Harris said in a statement. “We have fallen well short of our own expectations and failed to deliver in the way this city deserves. That bothers me deeply, and I have confidence in Bob to establish a path forward for our franchise.”
Nick Nurse will continue in his role as head coach, according to team sources.
Under Morey, the Sixers advanced to the second round of the 2026 postseason after defeating the Celtics in the first round and were swept by the New York Knicks in the conference semifinals. Morey is the architect of this current roster, headlined by Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and VJ Edgecombe.
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Philadelphia missed the playoffs last year, which positioned it to draft Edgecombe third overall. Morey also selected Maxey out of Kentucky, signed George in free agency and extended Embiid’s contract through the next three seasons. Morey’s tenure included acquiring and later trading James Harden, as well as drafting and then dealing Jared McCain at the February trade deadline — a move that drew scrutiny. The Sixers ultimately emerged as one of the more talented teams in the Eastern Conference, and they earned the No. 7 seed in the playoffs, but a lack of depth, shooting and defense prevented them from breaking through.
Parting ways with Morey was ultimately not an easy decision for the 76ers, but Philadelphia’s inability to take the next step in a constantly changing East played a significant role in the organization’s direction. A final decision was made Tuesday, according to league sources. Morey was then notified in a meeting. When told of his dismissal, he expressed disappointment but was understanding, and the sides parted on good terms.
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Nurse, who has had to deal with multiple challenges during his time with the Sixers, will remain a constant, at least for the near future.
His tenure in Philadelphia has been far from perfect (a 116-130 regular-season record), but team sources say the ownership group has been impressed with the way Nurse galvanized the roster this season. Ownership feels it has a championship-level coach in place and concluded that Nurse, who is well respected in the locker room among his players, has often had to work around not having a full roster.
Philadelphia is expected to move with pace to replace Morey, but the Sixers are going to take as much time as they need. The goal for Philadelphia isn’t speed; it’s to get the hire correct. The person who comes in won’t be coming into a full cupboard. Philadelphia is financially limited in what it can do to improve the roster, as Embiid, Maxey and George are currently on max contracts.
That’s why this is a critical time. The NBA Draft Combine is happening this week, and prospect evaluation is at the forefront. Nelson, Brand and most of the front-office staff will be on hand in Chicago to help make those evaluations. Philly holds the No. 22 pick in June’s draft. It’s a pick that the Sixers will be wise to make the most of, considering it’s one of the most potent ways to improve the current roster.
As Edgecombe showed this season, finding talent in the draft can give Philadelphia a key rotation-level player on a manageable contract. For the new hire, that will be the challenge: Finding affordable talent that can support the expensive talent on the roster in a playoff setting.
This year, that roster broke down in a four-game sweep at the hands of the New York Knicks. The Sixers were left with little depth and ran out of gas in the second half of multiple games in the series, and the way in which the season ended played a part in Morey’s dismissal.
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As the Sixers were getting swept in Game 4, Knicks fans took over Xfinity Mobile Arena. At the end of the day, it was a clear message sent to ownership from the Philadelphia fan base. They were not happy with the Sixers or their direction.
The 76ers have been a good team for much of the past six years. They want to be a championship team. That’s why they felt like this move had to be made.