Poll: Fans want to see 76ers move on from Nick Nurse

One of the fun features of Twitter (now X) is the ability to conduct polls to get an idea about how the general public feels about any given topic.

I recently conducted a poll on the platform to see how fans felt about Nick Nurse moving forward, and the results were clear.

Faced with the question: "Should the Sixers part ways with Nick Nurse after the season," over half of the respondents (59 percent, to be exact) selected "Yes." Meanwhile, 21 percent selected 'No." The remaining 19 percent were undecided.

This isn't especially surprising, and the results need to be taken with a grain of salt, as Philadelphia fans are notorious for their, "Fire the coach!" approach to sports analysis. Plus, a total of 913 people responded to the poll, and that number obviously isn't representative of the entire fan base. It is a solid sample size though, and could well represent the larger masses.

Moving on from the coach isn't always the answer, but in this particular case, it sure seems like it would be a smart move. I don't know if it's fair to say that Nick Nurse has "lost the locker room," but he's clearly had an issue motivating his players on a nightly basis.

The Sixers consistently look uninspired and unorganized, and that issue has stretched the entirety of the season. The offense is elementary, the effort in transition is non-existent, and the defense leaves a whole lot to be desired, both in terms of effort and execution.

Nurse himself has seemed consistently frustrated and out of answers, both on the sideline and in post-game press conferences. His demeanor and body language certainly don't project confidence in plan or approach.

Sure, Nurse has the built-in excuses regarding injuries and absences, and there certainly have been plenty of those for the Sixers this season. Those excuses might even end up saving Nurse's job and getting him another season on the sideline in Philadelphia.

The optics for the organization obviously wouldn't be great, either, as firing Nurse would mean that they'd need to look for their fourth coach in five years.

But, the Sixers' issues this season go well beyond availability, and paint a picture of a coach who has failed to maximize the talent on the team, let alone inspire overachievement.

Sixers writer Mike O'Connor published a good piece last month detailing all of the ways in which Nurse has failed this season, and ultimately O'Connor came to the same conclusion as the fans who responded to my poll: Philadelphia should move on from Nurse after the season.

"But sometimes, the fit between the coach and the roster just isn’t there – and rather than expecting a veteran coach to become someone else, the better solution is just to find someone else for the job," O'Connor wrote. "The easiest button for the Sixers to press in the wake of this failed season is the one labeled 'Fire Coach,' and in this case, it would certainly be well deserved."

Given what we've seen throughout the 2024-25 season, it's difficult to disagree.

Follow Michael Kaskey-Blomain on X @therealmikekb.