Did New 76ers Coach Nick Nurse Use Suns as Leverage?

Conflicting reports say the Phoenix Suns and Nick Nurse were never really a match for each other.

The Phoenix Suns missed out on one of the top coaches on the market over the holiday weekend - or did they? 

Nick Nurse was perhaps the hottest name available to lead a team, boasting championship pedigree thanks to his NBA Finals run with the Toronto Raptors on top of his ability to coach/develop both stars and role players alike. Nurse is often described as a tough but concise coach, something many Suns fans were hoping for after the disappearance of Monty Williams. 

Nurse was one of the handful of finalists to reportedly interview with the team as another important summer in Phoenix approaches, though news broke Monday of his acceptance of a position with the Philadelphia 76ers. Nurse reportedly wanted to work with league MVP Joel Embiid among other factors that led him to Philadelphia. 

In the report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA insider said that the Suns were in negotiations with Nurse's agent through the process.

"The Sixers and Phoenix Suns were engaged with Nurse and his agent, Andy Miller of Klutch Sports, throughout Sunday and Monday, leaving Nurse with a difficult decision between two contending teams, sources said."

Arizona Sports' John Gambadoro says the Suns never offered a spot to Nurse, and Phoenix was used as leverage to ultimately land him where he wanted. 

Don't believe the report - Nick Nurse was never offered the head coaching position of the Phoenix Suns. That is 100% inaccurate. He very likely used the Suns for leverage with Philly.

— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) May 30, 2023

This wouldn't be the first time a team in the Valley was used as leverage for a coach. Many believe Sean Payton's interview with the Arizona Cardinals earlier in the NFL offseason was simply a leverage move before joining the Denver Broncos. 

You can make the argument that Nurse probably did take an interview with Phoenix to help the 76ers move faster in their negotiations - it's a tactic commonly used. 

Regardless, the Suns now move forward in their search without Nurse on the list. Gambadoro also reported Phoenix has settled on three finalists: Frank Vogel, Kevin Young and Doc Rivers (who Nurse is replacing in Philadelphia).