More details are emerging about the circumstances that may have led to the firing of Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey.
Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY Sports reports that Casey, who was let go Friday by the Raptors after leading them to the winningest season in franchise history, sought a contract extension in the hopes of maintaining job security. That, in turn, may have forced GM Masai Ujiri’s hand in firing him, Zillgitt says.
Casey, who had one more year left on his deal, had coached the Raptors since 2011 and went 320-238 (.573) with five playoff berths in his seven seasons at the helm. The 2017-18 campaign was particularly stellar as Toronto won a team-record 59 games and earned the No. 1 seed in the East. However, they were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round, marking the third straight year that their season ended at the hands of the Cavs.
Casey’s track record of success obviously speaks for itself, especially with a roster where Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan were his best players. But his playoff shortcomings combined with this supposed desire for an extension may have meant that it was no longer advantageous for Toronto to keep him around, particularly with a number of quality replacements to choose from.
