It didn’t take Daryl Morey too long to stay away from the NBA.

Morey is close to finalizing a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers to run their basketball operations, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports. Sixers GM Elton Brand will remain in his current role.

A previous report from Wojnarowski indicated Morey was planning to explore career possibilities outside the NBA, but it did not take him long to find a new job in Philadelphia.

Morey was hired by the Rockets during the 2007-08 season. The team reached the postseason eight straight years under Morey, which is the longest streak in the NBA. He will now be tasked with trying to help an underachieving Sixers team reach their potential in the Eastern Conference.

In 2018, the Sixers reportedly had a strong interest in hiring Morey to replace Bryan Colangelo, who was ousted from the franchise. According to The New York Times’ Marc Stein, the 76ers sought and received permission to interview Morey, but the Houston GM elected to stay with Houston.

Now, Morey will look to work his magic with the Sixers, a team filled with young talent that has not been able to make the most of its potential in the Eastern Conference. Morey has some of his DNA already within the organization, his protege, Sam Hinkie, was the one who began the infamous “Process” for the 76ers, which landed them Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. 

The Sixers will hope that Morey will be able to finish the job that Hinkie started and bring an NBA championship to Philadelphia for the first time since 1983.

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