Two weeks ago, the Philadelphia 76ers concluded their most disappointing season in franchise history. This season not only featured Philadelphia’s worst record since the 2016-17 season, but it also entailed an unfathomable amount of injuries to its roster from top to bottom as well as surreal drama. After such a polarizing season, one may think there would be numerous changes made within the 76ers’ organization, but that is far from the case, at least for now.
Minutes into Daryl Morey and Nick Nurse’s end-of-season press conference on April 13th, Morey announced that he and Nurse will remain for the 2025-26 season. This revelation shocked and angered many 76ers fans due to their desire for a change of direction and accountability for such an unthinkable season. While no such fatalities are in place yet, Brian Windhorst of ESPN appeared on The Stephen A. Smith Show and gave an unsettling spiel to those in power.
The 76ers could start fresh next summer
“So I think [ownership] are giving [Daryl Morey] the grace that this was a terrible year in terms of injury and misfortune,” Windhorst said. “But what I would say to both Daryl and Nick is, you have no margin for error now. If next year isn’t an excellent year – I would say that the hottest seats in the NBA right now, looking into the year, are probably Daryl Morey and Nick Nurse.”
Since the 76ers’ tandem of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George only played 15 games together, their management is treating this year as an outlier. Time will tell if that will be correct, but fans have every right to be skeptical as Embiid’s status as one of the best players in the NBA is in question and George continues to age into his four-year/$212 million contract. On paper, the 76ers are still a top-five caliber team in the Eastern Conference and would have undoubtedly qualified for the postseason if healthy.
Should Daryl Morey and Nick Nurse get another shot?
Regardless, Morey and Nurse were far from perfect throughout the season. Philadelphia’s addition of George remains an intense debate, but there was one flaw that Morey himself took accountability for. Philadelphia prioritized veteran players such as Kyle Lowry, Eric Gordon, and Andre Drummond, who all proved to be unproductive with their best days behind them. The 76ers’ poor depth was partly the reason they were unable to remain competitive amidst the wave of injuries that plagued their roster.
This also correlates with fans’ criticism of Nurse before Philadelphia’s late-season dive toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. Many were frustrated with Nurse’s rotations that favored the 76ers’ veterans over their younger prospects who were not as established. Philadelphia’s offense also looked stale in the handful of games that its big three did play, which should be a point of emphasis throughout the offseason into training camp.
Still, with Morey determined to inject more youth and athleticism into the 76ers’ roster and the respect Nurse has within their locker room, perhaps they deserve one more shot. After all, Philadelphia has a chance to extend its contention window if it regains its 2025 first-round pick and Morey has proven to be reliable when it comes to draft selections. Nurse also hasn’t had a chance to coach a 76ers tandem with a clean bill of health in his first two seasons here. However, on the same note, if Philadelphia falls short next season with a healthy roster, everyone should be on the “hottest seats” – including its controversial trio.