Coach Nick Nurse Expected to Face Challenges in Third Year With Sixers

This October, Nick Nurse will be entering his third season as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers. After a 24-58 season spoiled by injuries, pressure is shifting for the acclaimed coach to manufacture a return to the playoffs.

Nurse quickly elevated his profile as one of the NBA’s top head coaches after getting his first opportunity with the Toronto Raptors in 2018. He won an NBA championship with the Raptors in 2019 and was awarded Coach of the Year in 2020.

Looking towards 2026, CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn listed Nurse as a “middle of the pack” contender for Coach of the Year. To win the title, Quinn suggested that Nurse would need to navigate part of the season without Joel Embiid.

“That leaves us with my favorite pick in this range: Nick Nurse… Best bet: Imagine a world in which Embiid suffers an early injury and misses 20 games or so. Philadelphia goes .500. He comes back and the Sixers significantly improve. The narrative is going to be about how Nurse held them together. He's a prior winner with a great schematic reputation. He's the best combination of long odds and realistic upside.”

Managing Injuries

Nurse was without stars Embiid and Paul George for a significant chunk of last season due to ongoing injuries. Embiid suited up for only 19 games, while George was limited to 41 appearances.

In April, Embiid underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. There is currently no timetable for the one-time MVP’s return to action, but he is expected to have more availability throughout this upcoming season.

Feb 22, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) holds his leg after a play against the Brooklyn Nets during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

As suggested, Nurse’s greatest challenge will be navigating potential injuries to Philadelphia’s 31-year-old franchise star and other impactful players. For instance, rising star Jared McCain is expected to be sidelined until the end of October.

There are other obstacles working against the 58-year-old coach, such as managing lineups for a league-high 16 back-to-back games and solidifying a playoff-ready frontcourt without a natural starting power forward. He will also need to account for VJ Edgecombe in Philadelphia’s rotation of talented guards, as the 20-year-old rookie was selected by the 76ers with the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft.

Nurse’s incoming roster has a high ceiling, though there are a variety of factors that can cause the franchise to crash back to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. If Nurse can successfully navigate the volatility surrounding the 76ers, he should certainly be in consideration for the yearly award.

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