With the Philadelphia 76ers reportedly hiring a new head coach in Nick Nurse, attention immediately turned to how the hiring would be received by superstar Joel Embiid. Embiid previously told Nurse, who used to coach the Toronto Raptors, to “stop b**ching about calls” during the 76ers-Raptors 2022 playoff series. The good news for Philadelphia is that Embiid and Nurse reportedly had a meeting before the hire, per Keith Pompey.
Nurse had previously coached the Raptors, working as an assistant from 2013-2018 before taking over head coaching duties for the 2018-2019 season. Toronto of course went on to win the championship that season. He's done a respectable job ever since, but the team decided it was time to move on following the 2022-23 campaign.
Nurse will be in for a challenge with the Sixers. Philadelphia is a team hungry for a championship. Although the 76ers enjoyed a strong 2022-23 season, with Joel Embiid winning the NBA MVP, their inability to reach the NBA Finals felt like a letdown. It ultimately led to the team moving on from Doc Rivers. The Sixers are hopeful that Nurse can re-create his magic from the 2018-19 season and lead Philly to a Finals victory in his first season with the team.
James Harden's future will play a pivotal role in determining how well the 76ers perform. If the Sixers manage to retain Harden, they should be able to make another deep run next season. However, nothing is guaranteed. It will be interesting to see how Nurse fares in his first season with the 76ers.
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