The Philadelphia 76ers are headed into the offseason following their Thursday night loss to the Miami Heat. A lot went wrong in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, from huge mistakes to massive injuries, ending the Sixers' playoff run in Game 6 of the second round.
One of the biggest things that the Sixers need to figure out this offseason is the plan for James Harden. Daryl Morey discussed the veteran guard and many other pressing topics at his exit interview Friday afternoon. According to Morey, the team needs a full year with Harden to “unlock” all of his potential.
Philly sports columnist Tom Moore tweeted Morey's hope-filled quote.
#Sixers president of bball operations Daryl Morey: 'We think with a full year with James (Harden), we can unlock what he brings to us.'
— Tom Moore (@TomMoorePhilly) May 13, 2022




Morey has a point. The Sixers didn't have as much time to adjust their starting five as they would have liked. He joined the team in mid-February and didn't play for Philadelphia until after the All-Star Break.
In the same breath, there aren't really any excuses for Harden's poor performance in the postseason. With 12 seasons in the NBA under his belt with four different franchises, Harden has plenty of experience.
Regardless, it sounds like Morey is sticking with his decision to trade for Harden. And, quite frankly, he doesn't really have much of a choice. The deal was made, and Morey has to make the most of it. He can't justify Harden's lack of productivity this season. But, he can hope that Harden is hiding away untapped potential that's just waiting to be “unlocked.”