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The Philadelphia 76ers have found their next head coach.
Nick Nurse has agreed to a deal to become the 76ers’ head coach, ESPN first reported. A source with knowledge of the decision confirmed the news to FOX Sports.
Nurse joins the 76ers after a five-year stint as the head coach of the Toronto Raptors. He enjoyed immediate success in his first year at the helm in Toronto, winning a title in the 2018-19 season. The Raptors remained one of the best teams in the NBA the following season even after Kawhi Leonard‘s departure. But Toronto missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons, leading the Raptors to fire Nurse following the regular season.
Prior to agreeing to a deal with the 76ers, Nurse was viewed as one of the top commodities on the coaching market, as he also had interest from the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns. He pulled his name out of the Bucks job, though, which went to Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin. The Suns have yet to hire a coach and the Raptors haven’t named Nurse’s successor yet, either.
Nurse will replace Doc Rivers in Philadelphia. Rivers enjoyed a good deal of regular-season success with the 76ers, going 236-154 over three seasons. But Rivers never made it past the second round of the playoffs in his three seasons with the team, losing in seven games to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals this past season.
Nurse will re-join 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, who Nurse worked with when he coached the Rockets’ G League affiliate. He’ll also have the opportunity to coach Joel Embiid, who won the MVP award this season.
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National Basketball Association
Philadelphia 76ers
Toronto Raptors
