The Dallas Mavericks' big news of the day is cutting ties with the veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson. Moments after Thompson reached a buyout with the team, the Mavs quickly found out that one of their assistants is leaving the team to join the Philadelphia 76ers.
According to ESPN's Marc J. Spears, Handy is working on finalizing a deal to join Nick Nurse's staff this week. Handy's arrival will be one of several big changes for the 76ers ahead of the 2026-2027 NBA season.
The Sixers are adding more familiar faces
Handy brings familiarity to the Sixers for multiple reasons. One of his previous stops as an assistant was with the Toronto Raptors, where Handy worked under Nick Nurse.
Before working with Nurse, Handy coached for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2013 to 2018. He was around for LeBron James' second stint with the Cavaliers, being a part of Cleveland's 2015-2016 championship run, and reunited with him in LA.
Phil Handy's NBA history
Like many coaches, Handy comes from a player background. He played college ball at Hawaii from 1993 to 1995. He went undrafted in 1995, and wouldn't suit up in an NBA setting. However, he played in the Continental Basketball League, before firing up an overseas career.
Handy played all over, starting in France, and eventually adding England and Australia. His playing career ended after 2002. By 2011, he picked up his first coaching role as a player development coach on the Los Angeles Lakers from 2011 to 2013.
After stints with the Cavs and the Raptors, Handy joined the Los Angeles Lakers' staff again in an assistant coaching role in 2019, where he reunited with LeBron out West.
In 2025, Handy took a head coaching job in the Unrivaled league, overseeing Mist BC. He joined the Mavericks for the 2025-2026 NBA season.
Nick Nurse gets added pressure
Handy will help Nurse navigate a high-pressure situation in Philadelphia. Since joining the team in 2023, Nurse has been coaching with championship expectations in Philadelphia.
During his first season with the team, the Sixers struggled with injuries. They finished with a disappointing 24-58 record. In year two, the Sixers went 45-37, and cracked the Eastern Conference playoffs through the Play-In as the No. 7 seed. The Sixers won their first-round battle against the Boston Celtics before losing to the New York Knicks.
Most believed that Nurse's job was on the line, but the Sixers kept him in place. With all of the changes they made--adding Jaylen Brown and LeBron James--expectations are sky-high for Nurse.
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