Stephen A. Smith ripped 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey as the franchise finished its dismal season. There's no way to skate around it. Philadelphia had a disastrous 2024-2025 campaign. While much of these struggles were due to injuries, the offseason gamble to sign Paul George to a massive contract has not paid dividends so far. Now, the 76ers will head into an uncertain period where they have few options from a roster flexibility standpoint.
Stephen A. Smith believes that Morey shouldn't get a chance to be a part of this offseason based on his recent track record. The ESPN analyst went off on the 76ers' front office on an episode of First Take.
“Morey, and it’s hard for me to say because I like him personally, it’s a travesty. Nick Nurse is not the issue, that man can coach, give him something to work with. With the decisions Daryl Morey has made there is no excuse for him to be retained, that is the bottom line and I would tell him that to his face. The bottom line is also that he shouldn’t have been there to begin with because Elton Brand could’ve handled that job. He should’ve been reassigned or re-positioned to a lower level. Elton Brand could've done that job.”

The 76ers are at a crossroads in their franchise history

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Philadelphia is running it back with its front office, and Daryl Morey has still expressed confidence in the star trio of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey. The three will carry a cap hit of around $145 next season, meaning the organization will need to build a supporting cast around its draft picks and cheap free-agent additions. Two moves that Morey and Elton Brand should be commended on are the drafting of Jared McCain and the trade for Quentin Grimes. Both players look like elite role players that should be a part of this core going forward.

That being said, even at full health, this roster has many questions. The 76ers still have serious issues with their overall depth, athleticism, and physicality. Unfortunately, the front office also needs to prepare for the times when its stars will not be on the court.

The headline to this concern is that Joel Embiid's health has become more uncertain. The former MVP will be recovering from knee surgery again, and there are questions about whether he will ever return as the same player. For now, it's full steam ahead with this core, and they will get another chance to rebound from this season. One thing that could significantly help is if Philadelphia's first-round pick falls within the top six of the NBA Draft and doesn't go to the Oklahoma City Thunder.