Sixers Officially Name Daryl Morey President of Basketball Operations

After a few week's worth of negotiating, the Sixers officially hired former Houston Rockets General Manager, Daryl Morey.

After weeks of negotiating, the Philadelphia 76ers have officially named Daryl Morey, the President of Basketball Operations, on Monday morning. Just last Wednesday, a team source told Sports Illustrated the Sixers were in "advanced talks" with Morey and hoped to get a deal done by the end of the weekend.

Now, Morey is officially in the building and will oversee the front office operation that has been led by General Manager Elton Brand for the last few months. “Daryl Morey is one of the very best front-office executives in the NBA, and I’m thrilled to welcome him to Philadelphia as the 76ers President of Basketball Operations," Sixers Co-Managing Partner Josh Harris said in a statement. 

“Talent like Daryl rarely becomes available, so we moved quickly and aggressively to bring him here," Harris continued. "He has an extraordinary track record of success in this league as an innovator, visionary, and leader, and I believe he significantly improves our chances of delivering a championship-caliber team to our fans. This offseason, we made it our mission to make this organization better and stronger. By hiring a tremendous front-office leader in Daryl and championship coach in Doc, as well as extending Elton, we’re proud of what we’ve assembled. I’m excited for their leadership and look forward to continuing to build a team this city and our fans can be proud of.” 

Last month, Morey made a tough decision stepping down from the General Manager position with the Houston Rockets after 13 years. At first, it was unclear if Morey intended to find another job in the NBA or not, but the Sixers reached out almost immediately and were quite persistent throughout the process. 

“Thank you to Josh Harris for the trust he has placed in me to lead the 76ers. I am humbled by the challenge and will work tirelessly to win the hearts of Philadelphia's legendary fans,” Morey said. “The opportunity to work again with Doc Rivers, Elton Brand, and a stacked roster that is ready to win made this a can't miss opportunity.”

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_