NBA rumors: Woj hints Nick Nurse might return as Raptors coach

The Toronto Raptors might be ready for an unprecedented coaching change, as Nick Nurse could be on the chopping block. While rumors that he could bolt for the Houston Rockets have been circling for months, Toronto’s loss against the Chicago Bulls was so and that he could be axed for performance reasons.

Nurse’s team missed 18 free throws and blew a 19-point lead at home to end up as the losers. You can take your pick of which of those two stats is more embarrassing. A facelift is needed in the worst way, though the front office may not see it that way.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the idea of Nurse and the Raptors parting ways may not be as set in stone as some might imagine. Woj believes that the coach and front office will have some discussions that could end with the championship winner returning for a sixth season.

“I know this, both Nick Nurse and Masai Ujiri have been communicating lately,” Wojnarowski said before the loss. “There’s still very much a pathway forward for Nick Nurse with the Raptors beyond this postseason… I still think both sides believe there is a way forward here. If there isn’t, especially the Rockets, they are monitoring what goes on.”

NBA rumors: Toronto Raptors might not fire Nick Nurse.

This was the first non-Tampa season where Nurse and the Raptors missed the playoffs. After winning 48 games with the same core, the fact that they couldn’t even make the postseason one year after earning the No. 5 seed is a bitter disappointment.

The Raptors would have multiple robust internal options if they chose to move on from Nurse. Earl Watson has past head coaching experience and multiple references vouching for his acumen, while Adrian Griffin is regarded as a rising star in the coaching business.

Externally, Ime Udoka seems to be the name most often connected to the Raptors, though there are plenty of exceptional candidates like Sam Cassell and Kenny Atkinson that could take the Toronto job if offered. Sticking with Nurse might be a hard sell, but the organization seems committed to him.

The Raptors likely didn’t envision saying goodbye to Nurse in such an abrupt and disappointing manner, but the loss against the Bulls may bring such a possibility into being. However, fans hoping for a Nurse ouster shouldn’t just assume that this front office will give up on him.