Recently, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers went on the Rich Eisen Show for an interview. Rivers was asked what some of the factors were that lead to his decision on coming to the franchise in the offseason. He went on to cite his close relationship with 76ers President Daryl Morey, and later said this to further elaborate on his statement:
“Daryl’s had several trades so far that I’ve said, ‘No, I don’t want to do that,’ and he moves on. That’s the type of relationship you have to have when you have coach and management, I think it works that way.”
Some of the former Sixers front offices, led by the likes of Brian Colangelo or Elton Brand, had been very vocal in their belief of collaboration, with not just one figure making a final call. While that seems positive in nature, the whole ideal of collaboration has been linked to the Sixers making a lot of missteps in the past.
An example of past collaboration efforts that have come up short can be found with former Sixers vice president of player personnel Marc Eversley. Eversley was reported to be a huge voice/factor in the room for past decisions such as the drafting of Markelle Fultz or signing of Al Horford — both moves which are now looked upon with regret.
The Sixers now have a completely revamped front office, led by a talented basketball mind in Daryl Morey. While things have definitely changed since some of those decisions, it’s a bit of a surprise to see the Sixers returning to an openly collaborative effort so quickly.
It’s also worth noting how much Doc Rivers has been publicly praising the duo of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Rivers has alluded to coaching both of the All-Stars many times since his arrival in Philly. How much weight Doc Rivers’ word carries in the Sixers’ front office might make or break the Sixers making a drastic decision by the sounds of it.
This quote officially confirms that we can start firing up the trade machines at will again. It’s no shocker that Daryl Morey has been shopping the NBA landscape to improve his roster; he’s made countless moves since becoming a basketball executive in the early 2010’s. The main question left to be answered would likely be what type of move is he considering? Are we in for a blockbuster deal possibly involving someone like a Bradley Beal? Is it a subtle move to land the Sixers with a quality role player such as PJ Tucker? That remains to be seen.
By the sounds of it, it’s very likely that the current Sixers won’t finish this season as constructed right now. The roster has many holes in it, such as their perimeter defense, and lacking a quality big that can shoot, among other factors. The NBA trade deadline isn’t until March 25, so we will see what Daryl Morey has up his sleeve in the coming months.
