After parting ways with Doc Rivers Tuesday morning, the Philadelphia 76ers have officially begun their search for the franchise’s 26th head coach. That search has found its first official candidate as members of Sixers ownership and management will meet former Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse according to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey.
Having coached the Raptors for five seasons, Nurse’s time with the franchise was highlighted by achieving the single greatest accomplishment in franchise history. That is the 2019 NBA championship, Toronto’s first and only to date, which Nurse won in his first year with the team. It was Nurse’s Raptors who sent the 76ers packing in the brutal Game 7 that saw the quadruple bounce that sunk the chances of Philadelphia.
Since then, Nurse’s time failed to reach such great heights, an understandable occurrence when you lose a player like Kawhi Leonard to free agency. While the team may not have reached the same levels as in Nurse’s initial season, they continued to be known as one of the more physical and tenacious teams in the league.
Known by many as a tactician, Nurse is able to balance the x’s and o’s of the games with the ability to be a players’ coach. He has stated that his philosophy revolves around instilling that you’re teaching to win the game while also being honest with players to help grow their careers.
While there is not an exact date at this point in time, it’s certain this meeting between Nurse and the 76ers is on the horizon.
While a meeting is merely that, it is an interesting first step as the Philadelphia 76ers look for the next voice to lead the locker room.
