If you’re a fan of the Toronto Raptors, then you’ve heard the name Dwane Casey before. Dwane Casey has been an integral part of the Raptors success over the past few years. He took a team that was failing to even make the playoffs, and turned them into one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
Photo Credit: CHCH
Toronto Raptors General Manager, Masai Ujiri, announced they were firing Dwane Casey as head coach last week, and fans have not been pleased. The announcement follows the Toronto Raptors sweep by the Cleveland Cavaliers in round two, eliminating them from the playoffs. This is the second year in a row that the Cavaliers have swept the Raptors, and clearly the loss sparked the need for change.
Dwane Casey’s History
Dwane Casey spent seven long years with the Toronto Raptors and was the first Raptors head coach to reach 200 wins. He coached the Raptors to it’s first 50 win season in franchise history. In 2016, Dwane Casey also helped the Raptors reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first and only time in team history. In February of this year, Casey celebrated his 300th win with the team. He was the first Toronto Raptors coach to be selected for the NBA All-Star game, and even won NBCA Coach of the Year earlier this month.
Photo Credit: Slam Magazine
Thoughts
I’ve been a Raptors fan for about six years now, so I’ve seen the Raptors at their highs and lows. Six years ago, the Raptors weren’t even making the playoffs, let alone winning 59 of 82 games. Dwane Casey has shaped the Toronto Raptors into the team they are today. And the team they are today is a lot closer to a championship then the team they were seven years ago, before Dwane Casey took over as head coach.
Being swept by Cleveland for the second year in a row hit us hard. The decision to make such a drastic change so soon after the loss proves that. As Masai Ujuri stated in his press conference last Friday, the time had come to part ways with Dwane Casey. However, the decision was not an easy one, and fans are still having trouble with it. Considering the Raptors just came off of a record breaking season, it seems weird to fire their head coach after such a successful regular season. Especially since Dwane Casey just won NBA Coach of the Year.
A new coach is going to need time to figure out how our team works together and what strategies will work best with our players. Even though a new coach may offer our team a valuable new perspective, it may take time for such a perspective to have any major impact. There are many names currently being considered for the new head coach position. Whether we promote an assistant coach already on our team, or hire outside the franchise. Rumors are even going around that we may be the ones to hire the first female NBA head coach by promoting Becky Hammon to our team.
Final Note
However shocking and upsetting Dwane Casey’s dismissal from the Toronto Raptors may be, he’s not taking it too hard. The former head coach sent a beautifully worded thank you letter to the Toronto Star shortly after his dismissal. In the letter, Casey thanked Raptors fans around Canada for the undying support to him and the team. It won’t be easy to fill his shoes, especially after seven years of service. The city of Toronto and Raptors fans everywhere thank him for his years of dedication. Hopefully we can find someone as noble and determined to lead us into the upcoming season.
