The Philadelphia 76ers fired head coach Doc Rivers on Tuesday
Nick Nurse has emerged as the slim favorite to take over, followed by Sam Cassell and Monty Williams
Who could the Sixers hire? Read on for the 76ers next head coach odds and analysis
Just two days after flaming out of the NBA Playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers decided to part ways with head coach Doc Rivers after three seasons at the helm.
During his time in charge, the Sixers failed to make it past the conference semifinals. Now, the search begins for their next bench boss, with some intriguing names in the mix including Nick Nurse, Sam Cassell, Mike D’Antoni, and Monty Williams.
Read on for the 76ers next head coach odds and analysis.
76ers Next Head Coach Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Nick Nurse | +350 |
| Sam Cassell | +380 |
| Monty Williams | +450 |
| Mike Budenholzer | +500 |
| Frank Vogel | +700 |
| Mike D’Antoni | +800 |
| JJ Redick | +1200 |
| Jay Wright | +2000 |
| Tyronn Lue | +2000 |
| Dave Joerger | +2000 |
Nurse, who just parted ways with the Toronto Raptors last month, is the slim favorite at +350 odds. Cassell meanwhile isn’t far behind at +380 and has been an assistant on Rivers’ staff since 2020.
Other coaches with championship pedigrees on the list include Mike Budenholzer and Monty Williams, who recently lost their jobs as well.
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Odds as of May 16th at DraftKings. Browse the top US betting sites for next NBA head coach odds.
The Top Candidates
First off, it’s crazy how many quality HCs are unemployed right now, but it shouldn’t be like that for long. Nurse is a very intriguing option for the Sixers and has already been mentioned as one Daryl Morey and the front office could pursue.
Nurse of course brings loads of playoff experience to the table and even beat Philly in the conference semifinals in 2019 en route to the franchise’s first NBA title. Nurse has the hard-nosed style of coaching that would be needed to excel in a place like the City of Brotherly Love.
As for Cassell, he just seems due for a head coaching position. The former All-Star guard has been an assistant for over 10 years now and possesses a wealth of knowledge of the game. He reportedly played a key part in helping Tyrese Maxey take strides in his development.
It was only days ago that Williams was canned by the Phoenix Suns after they were blown out in Game 6 by the Denver Nuggets. While he basically took the Suns from the gutter of the West to the top of the NBA, new owner Mat Ishbia apparently never built much of a relationship with Williams. Nevertheless, he’s a seasoned veteran who knows what it takes to win. Could be a good option for the Sixers.
Then, there’s Budenholzer. The Bucks owned the best record in the Association but were shocked in the first round by the Miami Heat, which resulted in Bud quickly getting let go. Fair? Probably not. But, there is no question he’ll land a top-notch job elsewhere. Although Milwaukee isn’t Philadelphia in terms of being an ultra-intense market, Coach Bud just oozes success. He led the Bucks to a title in 2021 and a conference finals appearance in 2019.
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Don’t Sleep on D’Antoni
While D’Antoni hasn’t been a head coach in the league since 2020, it’s hard to look past the connection between him, Morey, and Harden. They were all together in Houston and the relationship was always strong.
Morey undoubtedly wants to keep The Beard around and hiring one of his former coaches in D’Antoni would certainly help convince Harden. The 72-year-old was a candidate for Philadelphia in 20′ before deciding on Rivers.
76ers Next Head Coach Pick
A lot of teams need head coaches at the moment. Morey will surely be smart in his search, but in my mind, I see Nurse or D’Antoni as the most likely candidates for the time being.