After pulling out of Milwaukee Bucks job, Sixers coaching candidate Nick Nurse sorting through options

Nick Nurse is sorting through his options.

The former Toronto Raptors head coach is a prime candidate for the 76ers and Phoenix Suns vacant head-coaching gigs.

A source has confirmed that Nurse pulled out of being considered for the Milwaukee Bucks head-coaching job, leading to the team hiring his former Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin on Saturday.

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Nurse interviewed with the Sixers on Monday before meeting with the Suns on Thursday. The 55-year-old coach is pondering the best destination for him, according to sources. However, a source would not say if the Sixers offered him the gig.

Sources said earlier this week that the Sixers will have a better idea what direction their search to replace Doc Rivers is headed in by week’s end. Rivers was let go on May 16 after he failed to advance beyond the second round of the playoffs for three straight seasons.

It’s no secret that Nurse has a great relationship with Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey. As the Houston Rockets general manager, Morey hired Nurse before the 2011-12 season to coach the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets’ NBA G League affiliate.

A season later, Nurse led the Vipers to a 35-15 record and the then-called NBA Development League title.

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It was Nurse’s second D League title. He led the Iowa Energy to the 2011 championship. A great developer of talent, Nurse had 23 players called up to the NBA during his six seasons in the D League.

But Nurse is best known in the NBA for leading the Raptors to the 2019 NBA title in his first year as an NBA head coach and having three postseason appearances. He was the 2020 NBA coach of the year. He also won two British Basketball League titles before coaching in the NBA.

Nurse spent his first five seasons in Toronto as an assistant. After being named head coach before the 2018-19 season, he’s compiled a 227-163 record.

Sources have said that reuniting with Morey is very much enticing to Nurse.

Rivers is among the finalist for the Suns job, having interviewed on Friday.

The Sixers let the future Hall of Fame coach go with two seasons left on the 5-year, $40 million deal he signed in October 2020.

Rivers received a lot of the blame for the Sixers’ 112-88 Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics on May 14 in the Eastern Conference semifinals at TD Garden.

While reuniting with Morey might put Nurse in a more stable situation, the Suns might have more star power.

Phoenix is led by 2014 MVP and 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant, 12-time All-Star Chris Paul, and three-time All-Star Devin Booker.

Meanwhile, Sixers point guard James Harden intends to opt out of the final year of his contract and become a free agent. League executives expect him to re-sign with the Houston Rockets.