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"We're taking a careful process with the
coach," Morey said Wednesday, one day after the Sixers fired Doc
Rivers.
"We do not think it will move quickly. We have to be careful
with the process word but it is true."
Rivers led the 76ers to the Eastern Conference semifinal series
in each of his three seasons at the helm. Third-seeded
Philadelphia fell apart in the second half of Game 7 on Sunday
and dropped a 112-88 decision to the second-seeded Boston
Celtics.
Morey admitted Wednesday that he recommended the move to part
ways with Rivers.
"My job is to evaluate everything and we felt like that was the
best move for helping us get to our goals going forward," Morey
said. "It was carefully thought out and I recommended it to
ownership and they accepted it."
Per ESPN, the 76ers' search for a new coach is expected to
include Mike Budenholzer, Sam Cassell, Mike D'Antoni, Nick
Nurse, Frank Vogel and Monty Williams.
Morey also said Wednesday that newly minted NBA MVP Joel Embiid
-- or any other player on the 76ers' roster -- will not have a
say in the identity of the new coach.
Which brings us to James Harden, who is expected to decline the
$35.6 million option on his contract and become a free agent.
Morey admitted that the 76ers "are interested in bringing him
back," however he also said the team would get creative if it
doesn't come to pass.
"There's like 26 teams that would rather have our roster," Morey
said. "We're starting with the MVP of the league. The draft
lottery yesterday was hoping to get a top pick to hope that
player becomes as good as the MVP of the league. We're starting
in a great spot."
--Field Level Media
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