The Toronto Raptors announced on Friday that they had parted ways with their head coach Nick Nurse. The move comes after the Raptors endured a disappointing season that saw them finish with 41-41 and get eliminated in the Play-In tournament.

Nurse is leaving the franchise with whom he spent the previous 10 years. He served as an assistant between 2013 and 2018 before taking on the head coaching role ahead of the 2018-19 NBA season. Nurse led the Raptors to an NBA title in his first season at the helm. 

Firing Nurse comes at the point where the Raptors need to decide on the direction the franchise will take in 2023-24 and beyond. The team’s several key players, including Fred VanVleet and Jakob Poeltl, are free agents, while All-Star Pascal Siakam is set for an extension. As currently constructed, the roster doesn’t seem capable of contending, and it will be up to President Masai Ujiri and the new head coach to decide on how to change that.

According to multiple reports, the Raptors identified ex-Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka as the main candidate to replace Nurse. They are also expected to interview Suns’ assistant Patrick Mutombo and Vanderbilt head coach Jerry Stackhouse.

Nurse, on the other hand, will likely be pursued by most of the NBA teams that end up having a head coaching vacancy in the offseason. The Houston Rockets are believed to have a strong interest in reuniting with Nurse, who previously coached their affiliate Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

The post Raptors Fire Head Coach Nick Nurse appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Toronto Raptors announced on Friday that they have fired their head coach Dwane Casey. This decision came after an early playoff exit handed to them by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday. Casey had one year left on his $6.5 million worth contract.

The Toronto Raptors organization has announced they have parted ways with head coach Dwane Casey.

More: https://t.co/esTdL383Ze

Masai Ujiri press conference live NOW via Raptors mobile app. pic.twitter.com/FEqnZEhZU0

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) May 11, 2018

“After careful consideration, I have decided this is a very difficult but necessary step the franchise must take,” – said Raptors president Masai Ujiri in a statement. “As a team, we are constantly trying to grow and improve in order to get to the next level. We celebrate everything Dwane has done for the organization, we thank him, and we wish him nothing but the best in the future. He was instrumental in creating the identity and culture of who we are as a team, and we are so proud of that.“

Dwane Casey left the Toronto Raptors as the most successful coach in franchise’s history. He took over the Raptors in 2011 and improved the team’s record in six of the seven seasons. He also led them to the playoffs in each of the last five seasons.

The 2017-18 regular season was particularly successful for Dwane Casey since he coached the Raptors to number one seed in the Eastern Conference and 59 wins, which represent the franchise’s record. Still, Casey couldn’t translate regular season success to the playoffs, being eliminated by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the past three seasons.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Toronto Raptors are considering former Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer, Raptors assistant Nick Nurse and G League coach Jerry Stackhouse for the vacant head coach position.

Dwane Casey, on the other side, has immediately become a favorite for number of head coaching jobs in the NBA including Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks.

The post Toronto Raptors Fire Coach Dwane Casey appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Toronto Raptors announced on Friday that they had parted ways with their head coach Nick Nurse. The move comes after the Raptors endured a disappointing season that saw them finish with 41-41 and get eliminated in the Play-In tournament.

Nurse is leaving the franchise with whom he spent the previous 10 years. He served as an assistant between 2013 and 2018 before taking on the head coaching role ahead of the 2018-19 NBA season. Nurse led the Raptors to an NBA title in his first season at the helm. 

Firing Nurse comes at the point where the Raptors need to decide on the direction the franchise will take in 2023-24 and beyond. The team’s several key players, including Fred VanVleet and Jakob Poeltl, are free agents, while All-Star Pascal Siakam is set for an extension. As currently constructed, the roster doesn’t seem capable of contending, and it will be up to President Masai Ujiri and the new head coach to decide on how to change that.

According to multiple reports, the Raptors identified ex-Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka as the main candidate to replace Nurse. They are also expected to interview Suns’ assistant Patrick Mutombo and Vanderbilt head coach Jerry Stackhouse.

Nurse, on the other hand, will likely be pursued by most of the NBA teams that end up having a head coaching vacancy in the offseason. The Houston Rockets are believed to have a strong interest in reuniting with Nurse, who previously coached their affiliate Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

The post Raptors Fire Head Coach Nick Nurse appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Toronto Raptors announced on Friday that they have fired their head coach Dwane Casey. This decision came after an early playoff exit handed to them by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday. Casey had one year left on his $6.5 million worth contract.

The Toronto Raptors organization has announced they have parted ways with head coach Dwane Casey.

More: https://t.co/esTdL383Ze

Masai Ujiri press conference live NOW via Raptors mobile app. pic.twitter.com/FEqnZEhZU0

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) May 11, 2018

“After careful consideration, I have decided this is a very difficult but necessary step the franchise must take,” – said Raptors president Masai Ujiri in a statement. “As a team, we are constantly trying to grow and improve in order to get to the next level. We celebrate everything Dwane has done for the organization, we thank him, and we wish him nothing but the best in the future. He was instrumental in creating the identity and culture of who we are as a team, and we are so proud of that.“

Dwane Casey left the Toronto Raptors as the most successful coach in franchise’s history. He took over the Raptors in 2011 and improved the team’s record in six of the seven seasons. He also led them to the playoffs in each of the last five seasons.

The 2017-18 regular season was particularly successful for Dwane Casey since he coached the Raptors to number one seed in the Eastern Conference and 59 wins, which represent the franchise’s record. Still, Casey couldn’t translate regular season success to the playoffs, being eliminated by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the past three seasons.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Toronto Raptors are considering former Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer, Raptors assistant Nick Nurse and G League coach Jerry Stackhouse for the vacant head coach position.

Dwane Casey, on the other side, has immediately become a favorite for number of head coaching jobs in the NBA including Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks.

The post Toronto Raptors Fire Coach Dwane Casey appeared first on SportzBonanza.