76ers manager Daryl Morey is perhaps one of the most recognizable names in his field. Morey is best known for his time with the Rockets and gained legendary status for his role in building the James Harden Rockets teams. Morey has always been heavily into analytics, and it may have even cost him his job with the Houston Rockets.

“One of the reasons Tilman Fertitta wanted Daryl Morey from Houston was because they literally lost a playoff game or a playoff series and Daryl came to him with the analysis and said, ‘Look, we actually won'” said Stephen A. Smith. “He’s respected for his analysis and knows basketball, but he hasn’t won a championship yet.”

Analytics have become increasingly important over the years as teams and players continue to find new ways to optimize their offense. In the mid-2010s, with the three-point revolution in full swing, many teams invested their resources into understanding analytics and using the information to develop a successful game plan.

Morey was one of the pioneers of the analytical revolution, but the results so far have been mixed. After being hired as GM of the Rockets in 2007, they gained notoriety by trading for James Harden and letting him lead one of the best offensive stretches of any team in modern NBA history. From 2007 to 2020, the Rockets finished with the second-most wins in the league and had several deep playoff runs.

However, in 2020, Morey resigned from the Rockets, presumably leading to a mutual breakup. Now we know that Morey’s over-involvement in analytics actually got him kicked out.

As the Houston Rockets gained ground in the standings, they doubled down on their formula and shot more threes than ever before. The ugly side of three-point basketball was on display as the Rockets missed 27 three-point shots in a row in Game 7 of the 2018 Western Conference Finals.

Harden eventually left the Rockets in a bitter divorce and the “golden era” ended without winning a single title. Following his retirement, Morey accepted a new position with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he currently serves as President of Basketball Operations.

In Houston, Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta was clearly tired of listening to Morey’s excuses after disappointing losses year after year. No matter what the numbers were, the Rockets always lost when it mattered most, and the straw that broke the camel’s back for Fertitta was when his GM tried to play it off as a win.

Today, Morey is still considered one of the league’s best managers, but after a failed stint in Houston, a falling out with James Harden and major trouble with the 76ers, there are questions about whether or not a championship is in his future.

This season, with Embiid and Paul George, the analytics certainly point to a competitive season for the 76ers, but it remains to be seen if they have enough to get the job done. At least their stars must be healthy, and we haven’t seen that from them yet.