Training camp is set to commence later this month, but the Philadelphia 76ers have already taken the initial steps for their championship bid next season. Widely pegged as definitive title favorites, the team will face insurmountable pressure from Day 1. Be that as it may, head coach Nick Nurse might actually be the one facing the most tension, especially if he ends up not meshing well with the team's flagship acquisition, LeBron James.
While he is already in the final stages, if not the last season, of his career, James is expected to be heavily relied on by the 76ers in the upcoming campaign. With his elite ability to control the floor and execute the playbook, he should have a pretty dominant role with the ball in his hands. As such, Nurse will have to find a way to see eye to eye with the megastar, lest his stint in Philly could finally end sooner rather than later.
76ers could part ways with Nurse midseason if he fails to mesh with LeBron
James has never been one to stir up drama with the coaching staff, but a player of his caliber is simply bound to have disagreements with how he and his team are coached. From a game management standpoint, he is more than capable enough to handle the reins and do what he thinks is right under the circumstances on the hardwood.
However, there were instances in the past when he has had notable disputes with his coaches. Of course, his tricky relationship with David Blatt in his second stint in Cleveland is difficult to forget. Aside from that, he was perceived to not liking the way Erik Spoelstra coached him in Miami, at least early in his tenure with the franchise. In the latter part of his first go-round with the Cavs, he also had some conflicts with Mike Brown.
Having someone like LeBron simply puts any head coach into a blender. The same will probably be the case for Nurse, a highly tactical coach who now faces the difficult task of managing the four All-Stars the 76ers will accommodate. James will especially require more planning in advance. With Philly facing a championship-or-bust campaign, every loss and discomfort will be magnified.
One could argue that so far, Nurse has not done a lot to truly entrench himself with the 76ers. Hence, if he caves to the pressure and ultimately clashes with LeBron James, among all people, he could see himself getting jettisoned even in the middle of the season, at the utmost importance of their impending title bid.
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