Nick Nurse Has Encouraging Take on Injured 76er's Struggles

Nick Nurse discussed Caleb Martin's struggles as he deals with an injury.

Dec 4, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse reacts during the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

As the Philadelphia 76ers see their All-Star trio get healthy, the team still has some members of the supporting cast in recovery from setbacks. On Thursday, Sixers forward Caleb Martin was not a participant in practice for the second day in a row.

Lately, Martin has been dealing with numerous setbacks.

When 76ers head coach Nick Nurse addressed the media following Wednesday’s session, he offered a somewhat encouraging update on the offseason acquisition.

“I mentioned this a few weeks ago, but he's out there playing he's not anywhere near 100 percent,” Nurse told reporters.

“He's got all kinds of things going on trying to take care of some of those. I'm encouraged. I think he can certainly play a lot better. He's kind of in this trying to figure out where he is, how he fits, all that kind of stuff. But I'm not worried about it at all because he plays his guts out. He's great in the locker room. He puts in all the time on film, all those kinds of things. It's just going to be a bonus when he gets settled in, feeling a little better physically, then we can figure out how to use him and make him feel a little more comfortable.”

Nick Nurse on Caleb Martin today: "He's not anywhere near 100 percent. He's got all kinds of things going on."

Full quote from Nurse, asked about Martin's offensive struggles this season, on why he is "not worried about it at all." pic.twitter.com/cT9zt2YrHr

— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) December 11, 2024

Through the first 22 games of the 2024-2025 NBA season, Martin missed the action on just two occasions. After sitting out for two games in late November, he was back on the floor facing the Charlotte Hornets on December 3.

The veteran would see the court for over 23 minutes off the bench his first two games back but participated in limited fashion against the Orlando Magic on December 6. His second-half absence was due to an ankle injury that occurred in the first quarter of the Magic matchup.

Joel Embiid was a full participant in practice again today. Caleb Martin and Adem Bona were the only players not to participate today.

— Paul Hudrick (@PaulHudrick) December 12, 2024

When the Sixers faced the Chicago Bulls over the weekend, Martin appeared in just 13 minutes. It was tied for his second-lowest minute total in a night this season.

In 20 games this year, Martin is averaging nine points on 41 percent shooting from the field. He’s hitting on 29 percent of his threes. While the Sixers have been appreciative of Martin’s efforts on both ends of the floor, they understand he has a lot more to offer. In order to get the most out of the 29-year-old former Miami Heat veteran, Martin will have to get healthier.

The Sixers return to the court on Friday night to take on the Indiana Pacers. Martin’s status for that matchup is currently unclear.