Nick Nurse and the Philadelphia 76ers have suddenly put themselves right in the middle of the NBA conversation after agreeing to a two-year, $8 million deal with LeBron James.
That move gives Philadelphia a real championship case on paper. But it also creates a problem that could come from the sideline, not the roster. The same coach who helped win a title could become the one thing standing in the way if he falls back into an old habit: leaning too hard on his starters.
Nurse has built a reputation as a sharp coach, but his rotations have long carried a familiar danger. He has often asked too much of his top guys, and with James now 41 years old, that approach could be especially risky for this group. The 76ers do not have much margin for error, and the bench does not look deep enough to absorb heavy wear and tear.
The projected starting five already tells the story. Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe would handle the backcourt, James and Jaylen Brown would fill the forward spots, and Joel Embiid would anchor the middle.
Behind them, the likely bench pieces are Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons, first-round pick LaBaron Philon, and center Adem Bona. That is not a lot of room to breathe.
This is where the concern around Nurse comes back into focus. During his time with the Toronto Raptors, the issue was not just the absence of Kawhi Leonard.
It was also the grind Nurse put on his regulars, with Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet often pushing close to 40 minutes a night. The result was injuries and a late-season fade.
His championship ring gives him plenty of credibility, but it does not erase the strain his style can place on players. With this Philadelphia roster, the temptation to ride the stars even harder may be even greater. The 76ers have the kind of top-end talent that can make any coach want to keep the best players on the floor as much as possible.
That is exactly why the minutes issue matters so much here. James’ durability has been remarkable, but he is still 41.
Embiid will need to be handled with care too. If both players are to stay healthy into April and May, Nurse will have to resist the urge to squeeze every last minute out of his starters.
Otherwise, the thinness of the roster could become a real problem fast.
If Nurse cannot adjust, the fit between James, Brown, Maxey and Embiid may not be enough. The difference between a strong seed and a scramble just to stay out of the play-in could come down to how willing he is to change his approach.
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Kevin Durant Just Escalated The LeBron Backlash Even More
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The exchange quickly widened beyond one roster decision, with Durant taking on the usual ring-chasing arguments and the familiar comparisons to other all-time stars. He also kept the conversation moving toward James place in basketball history, a topic that never stays quiet for long, and the response he drew from fans showed just how quickly this kind of discussion can spill into something bigger. [Read more 🡒]
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Grizzlies May Be On Verge Of Another Veteran Exit With KCP
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The 76ers are also expected to keep looking for one or two more veteran-minimum additions to round out the bench, so this is hardly a one-name pursuit. Caldwell-Popes situation in Memphis is the part to monitor, because if he becomes available, Philadelphia would have another experienced option to plug into a rotation that already looks very different than it did a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]