Sam Hinkie 'Stoked' Daryl Morey Agreed to Join 76ers as New President

Sam Hinkie no longer has any official sway over the Philadelphia 76ers. He's a big fan of one executive who does, however. 

The former Sixers general manager spoke to ESPN's Pablo Torre on the ESPN Daily podcast and raved about the team's impending hire of Daryl Morey as president of basketball operations.

"I was stoked," Hinkie said. "I'm stoked now. I think it's great news. He's not a good hire. He's a great hire. It's a really big move for the franchise. For a franchise I care a lot about. With a bunch of people I care a lot about. I just think it portends really great things for the future, for the Sixers. Which remains meaningful to me. So I'm stoked."

Hinkie has been relatively absent from the public world of sports since his Philadelphia tenure ended in 2016 but felt compelled to break his silence after learning about Morey's new position. 

"I do talk everyday, I just don't talk to you and your colleagues at ESPN on television every day," said Hinkie to Torre. "It's not everyday you get to gas up one of your friends that just had something awesome happen in their life that happens to coalesce with a bunch of my life."

Both Morey and Hinkie worked for the Houston Rockets' front office, where their use of advanced analytics made them stars within the NBA.

Morey was named Rockets general manager in 2007 at the same time Hinkie ascended to executive vice president. In 2013, Hinkie left to run the Sixers, helping the team acquire current franchise star Joel Embiid with the No. 3 overall pick in 2014 after stockpiling assets.

With the Sixers' window to contend as wide open as it has been in franchise history, Morey is coming in to finish the job Hinkie wasn't able to see through.

As Philadelphia works on breaking through in the Eastern Conference, Hinkie will be there supporting his former franchise and current friend in the process.