Dwane Casey will be back as head coach of the Toronto Raptors, according to multiple reports, including one from the Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons. Casey is under contract for the 2015-16 season while the Raptors have a team option to retain him for the following year. However, the Raptors’ struggles down the stretch, culminating in an ugly four-game loss to Washington in the first round, left his status in doubt. Additionally, the same reports indicate that there will likely be some changes to Casey’s coaching staff, although nothing has been finalized.
The last part is of particular interest, since this would not be the first time the Raptors’ management has urged Casey to alter his staff. Of the four assistants who are most involved with tactical strategy, only Tom Sterner predates May 2013, when Masai Ujiri took over from Bryan Colangelo as the Raptors’ president and general manager. Bill Bayno, Jesse Murmuys and Nick Nurse were brought in after Ujiri’s hiring.
Jama Mahlalela and Alex McKechnie are also Raptors assistant coaches who were brought to Toronto under Colangelo, but they specialize in player development and sports science, respectively.
In his four seasons in Toronto, Casey has led the Raptors to a 154-158 record in the regular season, and a 3-8 record in two consecutive trips to the playoffs. He has also led the Raptors to a franchise record for victories in two straight years.
Despite that, this year was a disappointing one for both Casey and the Raptors. After a brilliant start, the Raptors merely split the final 50 games on their regular-season schedule. Also, the Raptors finished 23rd in points allowed per possession, the worst of any team that made the post-season. Toronto finished ninth in the same category in 2013-14. The playoffs were a disaster, with the Wizards exposing the Raptors’ flaws on both ends of the floor.
“I take accountability not establishing the offensive style of play we should have. … We had a false sense of security because we were winning playing that way after DeMar went down,” Casey said after the season ended. “We never got back to our roots defensively. We never could get the horse back in barn.”
Casey will become only the second Raptor coach to start five consecutive seasons as the team’s head coach. Sam Mitchell was the other. He was ultimately fired 17 games into the 2008-09 season. Casey will hope not to repeat that history.
