LeBron James has quickly developed a positive relationship with Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse, with their early conversations helping establish trust before the 2026-27 season.
Brian Windhorst reported on ESPN that James and Nurse had an extensive conversation before the 41-year-old forward chose Philadelphia in free agency. They also spoke several times before training camp, building a foundation for their working relationship.
“From the outside [Nurse and James] look like they’re working together very well,” a veteran NBA executive told ESPN.
That relationship matters given James’ previous experiences with new coaches. One veteran executive recalled his difficult starts with Erik Spoelstra in Miami, David Blatt in Cleveland and Luke Walton with the Los Angeles Lakers.
“LeBron didn’t vibe with [Heat coach Erik Spoelstra] at the start, and lots of people think he wanted him fired in the first month [of 2010-11],” the executive said. “He never gave David Blatt a chance (when James went back to the Cleveland Cavaliers) and it went sideways really quick when he went to L.A. with Luke [Walton].”
James and Nurse have already shown a willingness to adjust roles. Philadelphia has used James as its primary ball handler in some stretches and shifted him to defensive center while managing injuries to its frontcourt.
Before the season, James praised Nurse’s work with the Toronto Raptors, who won their first NBA championship in 2019 under his leadership.
A Western Conference assistant coach also explained what helps Nurse maintain a productive relationship with James.
“If LeBron thinks you’re smart and you put him in a position to be successful, he’s going to respect you,” the assistant coach told ESPN.
The early partnership has developed alongside Philadelphia’s strong start. The 76ers are 8-2 through 10 games, with a league-best 8-1 record in the ESPN report’s broader clutch-time discussion referring to an earlier point in the season. Their defense ranks among the league’s top three, while their offense remains in the bottom 10 in efficiency.
James is averaging 14.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists in eight appearances. Tyrese Maxey leads the team with 26.9 points per game, while Jaylen Brown averages 21.6.
Windhorst and Tim MacMahon also highlighted Maxey’s emergence as Philadelphia’s leading option in close games. Nurse praised the guard’s growing confidence, saying: “In an incredibly humble way, he just seems like he knows he’s really good. I don’t know if I’ve sensed that until this year.”
The 76ers’ next game is Sunday against the Chicago Bulls, followed by a home matchup with the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.
