Nick Nurse Explains Picking 76ers Over Higher Offers

Nick Nurse explains to Patrick Beverley why he chose the 76ers' offer over some other opportunities.

For the first time since becoming a head coach in the NBA, Nick Nurse has changed organizations. Over the last decade, Nurse coached with the Toronto Raptors. After getting his start in 2013 as an assistant, a position he held for five years, Nurse was promoted to head coach in 2018.

As a first-year head coach, Nurse delivered. In year one, the Raptors finished first in the Atlantic Division with a 58-24 record. Toronto went on to win 16 of its 24 postseason games, clinching the first NBA title in franchise history.

Although Nurse’s Raptors won the championship in 2019, they struggled to get beyond the Eastern Conference Semifinals since. In 2020, the Raptors dropped out in the second round after finishing the season 53-19. The following year, the Raptors missed the playoffs. In 2022, Toronto faced Philadelphia in the first round, losing 4-2. Then, Nurse’s fifth season as the head coach resulted in a Play-In loss, preventing the Raptors from booking a ticket to the postseason.

In the weeks leading up to the Raptors’ failed playoff attempt, Nurse was already hinting at a possible change of scenery. After Toronto failed to clinch a spot in the playoffs for the second time in three seasons, the organization moved on from Nurse. Suddenly, he became a target for multiple teams that would eventually follow suit.

The Philadelphia 76ers parted ways with Doc Rivers after three seasons following another second-round playoff exit in 2022. Expecting to take their time searching for Rivers’ replacement, the Sixers had Nurse on a long list of prospects they were considering.

Eventually, the former Raptors head coach landed the job in Philadelphia. According to new Sixers guard Patrick Beverley, there was a bit of a bidding battle for Nurse’s services, which the Sixers didn’t exactly win. However, they didn’t need to, as Nurse was intrigued with the organization.

On a recent episode of Beverley’s podcast, the veteran guard mentioned that he had heard through the grapevine that Nurse “turned down a lot of money” to take the position in Philadelphia. “Maybe,” Nurse said in response to Beverley’s statement while following with laughter.

“Just thought that the fit was right with me,” Nurse said of the Sixers. “Love the ownership. Loved my connection with Daryl Morey. Obviously, he was in Houston when I was coaching Rio Grande. Just heard nothing but good things about Josh (Harris) and David (Blitzer). Obviously, I coached against them a lot. I think it’s a good team. A very good team and some awesome pieces here. So, here we are.”

Since Nurse has coached against the Sixers as the leader in the Raptors’ clubhouse, Philadelphia was establishing itself as a regular in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. For the previous six seasons, the 76ers have clinched a spot in the postseason, advancing past the first round in all but one run during that span.

While the Sixers haven’t made an appearance in any of the championship rounds yet, Nurse has taken on the challenge of helping a talented team reach its full potential. Soon, we’ll see if the one-time champion’s expertise can give Philadelphia the extra push it needs in the postseason.