Nick Nurse found out about the biggest move of Philadelphia’s offseason from a dinner table in Rome.
On a recent appearance on “Takeoff with John Clark,” the 76ers coach said he was overseas when the text came through that LeBron James was signing with Philadelphia in free agency.
“This is gonna sound a lot more glamorous than it actually is, but I was on vacation in Rome having dinner,” Nurse said. “I got the quick text right before the news hit, that he was coming so that was pretty cool.”
The news landed with plenty of weight in Philadelphia, where the 76ers signed the four-time NBA champion to a two-year contract and instantly changed the look of their roster. James arrives under a coach who has already won a title, and Nurse is now tasked with steering a team that is being talked about as a contender for the 2026-27 season.
On paper, the Sixers have a starting five that stands out: James, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Philadelphia also added Anfernee Simons, Dean Wade and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to deepen the group around that core.
For Nurse, the challenge now is matching the buzz with results. He is entering his fourth season as head coach in Philadelphia after beginning his NBA head coaching career with Toronto ahead of the 2018-19 season. He won the championship in that first year with the Raptors and remained there for five seasons before the organization moved on from him.
Over the last three years with the 76ers, Nurse has posted two winning seasons and reached the playoffs twice.
In Other News...
Joel Embiid Update Gives 76ers Fans Real Reason For Hope
Joel Embiids summer has apparently gone about as well as the 76ers could have hoped, with Nick Nurse saying the big man is in shape, active and feeling much better as he gets back on the floor and into the weight room. After a season in which Embiid still produced at a high level, averaging 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds, Philadelphias bigger concern was never the production. It was the availability, as he appeared in only 38 regular-season games.
Nurses update matters because the Sixers do not need a reminder of how different the team looks when Embiid is healthy and moving well. For now, the early read on the offseason is encouraging, and that alone gives the organization some badly needed optimism heading toward the new season. The real test, of course, will come once the games start and the grind begins to look a lot more like the one that has challenged Embiid in recent years. [Read more 🡒]
Grant Williams Just Eased A Big 76ers Fear About Jaylen Brown
Grant Williams helped calm one of the lingering concerns around Jaylen Brown this week, offering a firsthand view of what Brown and Jayson Tatum were like during their time together in Boston. Williams, who shared the Celtics locker room with both players from 2019 to 2023 before he was traded to the Mavericks, said their relationship was respectful and positive on and off the court, a detail that matters because Brown has long been viewed through the lens of how he might fit with Philadelphia if the 76ers ever circle back.
For the Sixers, the bigger issue has never just been Browns talent. Its whether the personality and basketball fit would hold up in a new setting, especially with the rumors that have followed him because of his ties to Tatum and the Celtics recent years of title-chasing. Williams comments do not answer every question about a potential move, but they do take some of the edge off the concern that Browns dynamic with a star teammate would be a problem in Philadelphia. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Brown Just Made Sixers-Celtics Feel Even More Personal
Jaylen Browns arrival in Philadelphia already gave the Sixers-Celtics rivalry a sharper edge, and his introductory press conference only added to the intrigue. Brown spoke respectfully about Jayson Tatum, the teammate with whom he won a championship in Boston, while making clear the two have not communicated since the trade that sent him to the 76ers.
For a team trying to reset itself around a star-studded starting lineup, Brown brings both production and baggage in the best possible way. He comes off a season in which he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists, and now his move to Philadelphia gives the Sixers another marquee name as they chase a major turnaround next season. [Read more 🡒]