PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) -- Daryl Morey, the 76ers' new president of basketball operations, had his introductory press conference just over two weeks ago. He may be one of the most well-established and well-respected front office executives in the NBA, but that's not much time to prepare for the 2020 NBA Draft, coming up on Wednesday.
But on Monday morning, Sixers vice president of scouting Vince Rozman explained that getting Morey up to speed has been going very well, and the “rapport has been awesome.”
As of early Tuesday afternoon, Morey will be making five picks, including 21st overall in the first round.
Rozman said Morey has been eager to learn and hear other opinions so he can form his own.
“It’s been great, honestly,” Rozman said. “I think we’ve all been kind of in a firefight because he’s been here for two weeks and we need to catch him up, and we felt really, really prepared to be able to do it.”
And they’re doing it in the early days of this new Sixers regime — a front office and coaching staff that was put together after General Manager Elton Brand fired head coach Brett Brown following a disappointing 2019-20 season.
Brand is still GM, but he’s now joined by Morey, head coach Doc Rivers and other new front-office additions.
“I don’t know that the process has necessarily changed,” Rozman said. “It’s just instead informing Elton and talking through all of the draft-related possible transactions, or players, or what have you, like with Elton and our scouting staff, it’s now with Elton and Daryl, and obviously (new Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations) Peter Dinwiddie as well, to be ready for Wednesday.”
When asked what the collaboration process has been like in the restructured front office, Rozman said, “There’s not a newness. ... It seems like we’ve been in the room together years already.”
And as far as any challenges in the process of getting Morey up to speed, Rozman referenced the everydday obstacles the pandemic brings with the scouting staff working remotely. Because the draft, which is usually in June, is happening in November this year, Rozman explained how prepared they are for Wednesday night.
“The scouts have been on these guys for the draft forever now. We’ve been able to get deeper on guys than time has ever permitted before and have the knowledge to be able relay that to any new people that come in the building and say, ‘like, here we go. We’re ready. Let’s go.’”
The NBA’s moratorium has been lifted and some teams have already taken part in reported trades. Morey was known to wheel and deal in his time with the Houston Rockets.
It would not be surprising if Morey moved any of the picks the Sixers possess as of early Tuesday afternoon.
“It’s hard to say right now to like where exactly his head is and how he’s gonna view those five picks,” Rozman said Monday. “I think where I’m happy is our scouting staff was on the ready, and once we got Daryl on board, I think we quickly were able to prepare him where we were on all of these guys.”