The Philadelphia 76ers have hired Nick Nurse as their new head coach, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Nurse, who won an NBA championship and a Coach of the Year Award with the Toronto Raptors, now gets to coach superstar big man Joel Embiid.
Nurse led the Raptors to the 2019 championship over the Golden State Warriors in six games. He went 227-163 with Toronto in the regular season and 25-16 in the playoffs. Nurse won the 2019-20 Coach of the Year Award and is regarded as one of the brightest offensive minds in the NBA.
The Sixers fired Doc Rivers after losing to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in seven games. Philadelphia hasn’t gotten past the second round of the playoffs since 2001 when Hall of Famer Allen Iverson led the team to the NBA Finals.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Nick Nurse, Toronto Raptors, Joel Embiid, James Harden & Philadelphia 76ers Updates
We know that Nurse will get to coach Embiid. However, it’s uncertain if Nurse will get to coach James Harden, who can become an unrestricted free agent this summer if he declines his 2023-24 player option.
As of now, it doesn’t look like Nurse will get to work with Harden, as according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, The Beard is expected to sign with the Houston Rockets, the team he played nine years for.
“The belief among NBA executives is that James Harden will rejoin the Houston Rockets this summer,” Pompey wrote. “Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta ‘loves’ the 76ers point guard. The franchise expects to reunite with him, sources say. Before the Rockets hired Ime Udoka on April 25, head coaching candidates were asked for their opinion on coaching Harden during the interview process, according to sources.
“Sources have said his interest in returning to Houston is mutual and not a ploy to get a lucrative deal out of the Sixers. His mother still lives in the city. He has several business ventures there. And, as one source said, ‘he’s treated like a god in Houston.’”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Nick Nurse, Toronto Raptors, Joel Embiid, James Harden & Philadelphia 76ers Updates
If Harden leaves Philly for Houston, the Sixers will need to find another star for Embiid to play with.
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