Insider reveals 'sticking points' that led to Nick Nurse's firing

The Toronto Raptors fired Nick Nurse this week after a disappointing 2022-23 NBA campaign.

Coming into this season, the Raptors were not expected to legitimately compete. That said, the organization was hoping to develop its younger players and put forth a respectable effort in the Eastern Conference.

The Raptors ended up doing neither, and that is what resulted in the firing of the only head coach to ever win a championship with the franchise.

On the heels of Friday morning’s news, NBA insider Michael Grange broke down what led to Nurse’s dismissal.

“Raptors [and] Nurse were meeting regularly,” he wrote.

“Sticking points have been lack of bench development, a play style that yielding intended results but was overly taxing given minutes for starters [and] created problems in other areas. Desire for more structure and accountability a factor too.”

It is hard to dispute that any of those things were issues. Head coaches being on short leashes after winning titles isn't that much of a novelty in the NBA. Frank Vogel learned that lesson the hard way with the Los Angeles Lakers last year.

Ultimately, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for these Raptors as presently constructed. Fred VanVleet will likely attract robust trade interest this summer. Whether he remains in Toronto or not going forward remains to be seen.

“The decision to make a change like this is never arrived at easily or taken lightly, especially when it comes to a person who has been part of this franchise’s most historic accomplishments, and who has been a steady leader through some of the team’s most challenging times,” Raptors president Masai Ujiri said in a statement.

“As we reflect on Nick’s many successes, we thank him and his family, and wish them the best in the future.”

Who will the Raptors ultimately hire as their head coach come next season? What does the future hold for Nurse going forward? An answer to both those questions will reveal itself over the next few months.