Report: 76ers Fall Short in Attempt to Hire General Manager Daryl Morey Away From Rockets

Philadelphia has been without a general manager since June 7.

The reigning NBA Executive of the Year will not be lured away from MVP James Harden to join Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons as Marc Stein of The New York Times reports general manager Daryl Morey will not leave the Rockets for the 76ers.

According to Stein, Philadelphia had significant interest in getting Morey to replace former general manager Bryan Colangelo and were given permission by the Rockets to meet woth Morey, but Morey wouldn't leave Houston. A Sixers team spokesman would not comment on the team's general manager search to Stein.

The Sixers have been without a general manager since they agreed to part ways with Colangelo June 7 amid a scandal involving burner Twitter accounts that were controlled by his wife and were disclosing sensative team information.

Prior to Colangelo, Philadelphia had Sam Hinkie as general manager from 2013 through 2016. Before coming to the 76ers, Hinkie was an assistant general manager to Morey in Houston.

While Philadelphia still looks to fill the hole at general manager, coach Brett Brown has been serving as the president of basketball operations in the interim.

Last season the Sixers went 52-30, which was the fifth-best record in the NBA and third-best record in the East. They reached the playoffs for the first time since 2012, and like that postseason, they were eliminated by the Celtics in the second round.

Morey is coming off a season in which the Rockets posted the best record in franchise history and the top record in the NBA at 65-17, and he was voted Executive of the Year by his peers. Houston reached the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2015, but was eliminated by the Warriors in seven games.