Nick Nurse Explains Joining 76ers Over Bucks, Suns
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On Thursday, the Philadelphia 76ers officially named Nick Nurse the team’s 26th head coach in franchise history. Per team policy, the terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Prior to the upcoming Nurse era in Philadelphia, the Sixers ran with Doc Rivers in charge for three seasons following the seven-year Brett Brown era.
After Rivers struggled to coach the Sixers past the Eastern Conference Semifinals round over the course of three seasons, the Sixers decided a change was needed.
“My job is to evaluate everything, and we felt like that was the best move for helping us get to our goals going forward,” Sixers President of Basketball Operations said a few weeks back. “It was carefully thought out, and I recommended it to ownership, and they accepted it.”
Initially, the Sixers targeted six prospects. Among their prospects were Mike Budenholzer, Monty Williams, Mike D’Antoni, Frank Vogel, Sam Cassell, and Nurse. While the Sixers didn’t intend to rush the process, it ended fairly quickly with Philadelphia offering the job to Nurse.
Although Nurse was reportedly a finalist for two other jobs in Phoenix and Milwaukee, he withdrew from the Bucks’ process before eventually agreeing to terms with the 76ers.
"We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Nick Nurse as the new head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers,” Daryl Morey said via press release on Thursday. “His championship pedigree and diversity of experience, mixed with his uniquely creative approach, made him our top priority. We are confident that his leadership and expertise will help us unlock the full potential of our talented roster and bring an exciting new era of championship basketball to Philadelphia."
During his introductory press conference with the local media on Thursday, Nurse explained his decision to join the 76ers, as opposed to considering one of their rival contenders in the head coach market this offseason.
“First of all, I know it's a good team because I'm in the trenches trying to turn to battle those guys a lot, and it’s a pretty good rivalry,” Nurse explained while recalling his days as a common enemy of the Sixers.
“We saw each other a lot and in the playoffs and stuff as well. Certainly a big factor. And then I think what's most important is ownership. You know, just like the others say, do your research. Everything I hear is super positive. And I know Daryl and his track record of getting players and putting together a roster that can compete for the title, I think speaks for itself and that's what made it a fairly easy decision in the end.”
The Sixers’ competition for Nurse’s services was unusually tough. Although the Bucks fizzled out in the first round of the playoffs against an eighth-seeded Miami Heat team, they possess a talented roster and won a title in recent years.
As for the Suns, they dropped out in the second round. But like the Sixers and the Bucks, Phoenix has notable stars on its roster, which makes it likely they’ll be in postseason contention once again next season. Overall, the Sixers, from top to bottom, stood out to Nurse the most.
“My first thought is this team could be playing tonight,” Nurse explained. “I think that, along with some others in the Eastern Conference, they probably are wishing they were getting ready to throw the ball up tonight. And that combination of staying healthy, the ball bouncing your way, and figuring out the long grind that it is to go from the start of the playoffs to winning a title. All those things, you know, are very difficult. You gotta be able to do all that stuff.”
Over the last six seasons, the 76ers clinched a spot in the playoffs. In five of those runs, Philadelphia lost in the second round. During the lone season the Sixers didn’t lose in the Conference Semifinals, they couldn’t make it to the second round as they lost in the first four games of the postseason.
However, none of that matters in the eyes of the new head coach.
“I don't really vibrate on the frequency of the past,” Nurse finished. “Like to me, when we get a chance to start and dig into this thing a little bit, it's going to be only focused on what we're trying to do going forward next season. Whatever has happened for the last how many whatever years doesn't matter. It’s similar to Toronto a little bit. That kind of a clean slate for me just looking forward to how we can get it done from start to finish.”
