Following one of the most successful seasons in franchise history, the Toronto Raptors have fired head coach Dwane Casey, the team announced on Friday.
“After careful consideration, I have decided this is a very difficult but necessary step the franchise must take,” Raptors President Masai Ujiri said 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 (Casey) 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.”
Casey, who served as Raptors head coach for seven seasons, was originally hired by the franchise in June of 2011. He coached the Raptors to a 59-win campaign this season, getting swept by the Cavaliers in the second round.
Casey joins a growing list of unemployed coaches from the 2017-18 season, including Stan Van Gundy, Frank Vogel, Steve Clifford and Jeff Hornacek. He could become a top candidate for several jobs available, including the Pistons, according to ESPN.com.
Casey served as an assistant coach with the NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks, who defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 Finals, before joining the Raptors organization.
It was announced Wednesday that Casey won the 2018 Michael H. Goldberg NBCA Coach of the Year Award, an award voted on by each of the league’s 30 head coaches.
