Nick Nurse was never the problem this season. But he’ll need a healthy roster to prove it.

Nick Nurse was expected to be the 76ers’ scapegoat this offseason. And that’s understandable, considering he’s getting $8.5 million per season to coach what has been an underachieving team.

But Nurse and Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey will return next season despite a 24-58 record this season.

“That’s a tough job,” Kelly Oubre Jr. said of Nurse and his staff. “Like, I couldn’t do it. So I tip my hats to those who do that and are faced with the responsibility. But I think they handled it the best way they possibly could.

“I’m not really into the media, into the blogs and stuff like that. So I don’t really see what’s said or [Nurse’s] media availability, things like that. But at the end of the day, man, just him being a presence. All the coaches are always showing us love, helping us out through the tough times, and staying in that consistent rock for us.”

» READ MORE: Daryl Morey admits to mistakes as he vows to turn the Sixers around this offseason

If we’re being honest, that’s all Nurse could do this season.

Nurse’s biggest obstacle was the Sixers’ Big Three of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey combining to miss 134 games.

But as Morey admitted, the Sixers’ roster has been flawed since Day 1. The front office loaded up on older veterans it thought would help the squad in the postseason. However, that backfired as the Sixers were old, slow, and small. As we’ve learned, the Sixers’ older acquisitions couldn’t stay healthy and struggled to keep up with younger, athletic opponents.

In response, the team made moves in February to get younger.

The Sixers acquired Quentin Grimes and Jared Butler via separate trades before the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 6. Then they signed Lonnie Walker IV to a two-year, $3.7 million deal on Feb. 21 after he facilitated a return to the NBA by agreeing to a buyout of his contract with Lithuania’s BC Žalgiris two hours before the Feb. 18 deadline.

Grimes and Butler, both 24, were exchanged for Caleb Martin, 29, and Reggie Jackson, 35, respectively. The same approach applied when they signed Walker, 26, to play in place of the injured Eric Gordon, 36.

» READ MORE: Sixers’ ‘Big Three’ determined to spend more time together, get closer and play better

Despite that, there’s always going to be finger-pointing about arguably the most disappointing season in the franchise’s 76-year history.

Some will point to Nurse’s unorthodox coaching style and head-scratching lineups contributing to the Sixers’ struggles. They’re also tired of seeing him argue with officials after seemingly every missed call. And some have questioned how much support Nurse has in the locker room.

“I feel pretty good,” Nurse said of his relationship with the players. “Again, I think that most of the guys that couldn’t play, couldn’t play, right? And the biggest thing is how do we shift ... their truth [and how it] is getting them back. Like, what are we doing to get them back?

“I think that most of them would respect the job the coaching staff has done with these other guys and the work we put in. So I feel pretty good about it.”

As he should.

Sure, Nurse has a no-holds-barred personality and an outside-the box coaching style. But those are the attributes that made him unique, that made him a successful coach.

» READ MORE: Which Sixers Should Stay or Go?

He led the Toronto Raptors to the 2019 NBA title in his first year as head coach and earned three more postseason appearances. Nurse was the 2020 NBA coach of the year. He also won two NBA Development League championships and two British Basketball League titles before coaching in the NBA.

The 57-year-old was never the problem this season. Let’s see what he can do with what the Sixers hope is a healthier and younger roster next season.