Assessing the job Daryl Morey has done in his first two seasons as Sixers president

Daryl Morey's two seasons as the 76ers' president of basketball operations have been interesting but ultimately unfulfilling.

Morey went star hunting and made blockbuster trades for James Harden, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook as the Rockets' general manager and that trend continued in Philadelphia with the Harden/Ben Simmons deal in February.

The Rockets won the second-most games in the NBA during Morey's 13 years as general manager (2007-20), behind only the Spurs, but never reached the Finals, losing to the eventual champion Warriors twice in the Western Conference finals (2015 and '18).

Here is a closer look at Morey's time in Philadelphia.

Best trade

The draft-night deal in which Morey sent veteran big man Al Horford to the Thunder in a six-player swap that brought Danny Green here Dec. 8, 2020, was essential. While it didn't make the Sixers considerably better, the move undid the ill-advised four-year, $109 million contract — $97 million of which was guaranteed — Horford received from Elton Brand.

Yes, Horford is producing for the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals against the Heat at almost 36, but he wasn't a good fit alongside Joel Embiid and ended up being primarily the backup center for $28 million during his lone season with the Sixers.

Morey didn't use an $8.2 million trade exception that resulted from the deal and the Sixers owe Oklahoma City a top-6 protected 2025 first-round pick that would become top-4 protected in 2026/27. The trade was still clearly worth it.

Another good one

Morey's first trade on Nov. 18, 2020, landed Seth Curry from the Mavericks in exchange for Josh Richardson and second-round pick Tyler Bey. Curry, the son-in-law of coach Doc Rivers, became the starter at shooting guard and provided a consistent perimeter threat. He was the team's second-best offensive player in the crushing second-round defeat by the Hawks in 2021.

Morey included Curry in the package for Harden in February.

Worst trade

In an unsuccessful effort to bolster a subpar bench at the 2021 trade deadline, Morey sent the Sixers' most athletic backup big man in Tony Bradley and a pair of second-round picks to acquire veteran guard George Hill.Hill played well in the first-round playoff win over the Wizards, but really struggled against the Hawks (.304 from the field, .222 on 3-pointers) with the Sixers desperate for scoring.

Not a good sign(ing)

Re-signing wing Furkan Korkmaz to a $15 million contract last August doesn't sound bad by NBA standards, but taking up a roster spot for three years with a player not worthy of regular minutes on a title contender is a waste.

The great unknown

The Feb. 10 Harden-Simmons trade was centered on two players who didn't want to play for their respective teams.

Harden, a three-time scoring champion for the Rockets who turns 33 in August, went scoreless and only took two shots in the fourth quarter of the Heat's clinching Game 6 victory at the Wells Fargo Center. It reminded me of Simmons a year earlier vs. the Hawks.

The deal hurt the Sixers' depth, particularly the inclusion of center Andre Drummond, who would've been a more viable option to start Games 1 and 2 vs. the Heat with Embiid sidelined by a facial fracture. The Sixers also owe the Nets a pair of first-rounders (Brooklyn's option of 2022 or '23, as well as 2027) from the trade.

Harden has a $47.4 million player option for 2022-23 that he's likely to pick up, but Morey cannot justify a longterm, big-money extension for a player with declining skills.

Upon taking the job in November 2020, Morey said the Sixers had "a stacked roster that is ready to win (making) this a can't-miss opportunity."

Despite the best record in the Eastern Conference and homecourt advantage throughout the conference playoffs in 2021, the Sixers couldn't get past the Hawks in the East semifinals.

This year, even with the addition of a top-75 all-time player (Harden) at the trade deadline, the Sixers fell to the Heat in six games with a trip to the conference finals up for grabs.

It's been 21 years since the Sixers advanced past the second round and 39 since their last championship, which is way too long. Morey has to help bring at least the first drought to an end for his time here to be considered a success.

Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes; @TomMoorePhilly

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Daryl Morey: What he's done in two seasons as Sixers president