The question had lingered for so long that somebody almost forgot to ask it. Daryl Morey spent 30 minutes talking to reporters on Friday afternoon, many of them devoted to Joel Embiid’s left knee, an issue that has been the organization’s most pressing for more than a year now.

When he signed Paul George, re-signed Tyrese Maxey and extended Joel Embiid last offseason, Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey definitely didn't anticipate the team being 20-30 and 11th in the Eastern Conference after the NBA trade deadline.