76ers Rumors: Nick Nurse Reuniting with Daryl Morey 'Is Very Much Enticing to Nurse'
If the Philadelphia 76ers find themselves attempting to convince former Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse to join their club, his relationship with president of basketball operations Daryl Morey will reportedly help.
"Sources have said that reuniting with Morey is very much enticing to Nurse," Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
Pompey explained Morey hired Nurse to coach the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the G-League in 2011-12 when he was the Houston Rockets general manager.
The coach led the Vipers to the NBA Development League title a season later in a sign of things to come.
He went 227-163 with three playoff appearances and an NBA title during his five seasons at the helm for the Raptors. Philadelphia fans are painfully familiar with that championship run during the 2018-19 campaign, as Toronto's Kawhi Leonard hit the winning shot in Game 7 of their second-round series.
That shot is part of what has become an issue for the 76ers.
They have made the playoffs in each of the last six seasons but haven't made it past the second round since the 2000-01 campaign when Allen Iverson was leading the way. A third straight second-round loss ultimately cost Doc Rivers his job after three winning seasons, which is why the coaching position is vacant in the first place.
Philadelphia may have some competition, though, as Pompey noted Nurse also interviewed with the Phoenix Suns and is a "prime candidate" for both jobs.
Going to Phoenix would mean the chance to lead one of the league's best one-two punches in Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, although there is his relationship with Morey and the presence of league MVP Joel Embiid in Philadelphia.
It is an important offseason for the 76ers, as James Harden has a player option and could decide to go elsewhere. That could work against the team in the coaching search if Nurse or someone else doesn't want to have to worry about that uncertainty.
But it seems like Morey is working in the team's favor.
