Dwane Casey all set to be named head coach of Toronto Raptors – NBA Update
Sources have confirmed that the Toronto Raptors have given the head coaching job to the Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Dwane Casey. The official announcement is expected on Monday or in the early hours of Tuesday.
Dwane Casey has been linked with a number of head coaching jobs this off season. The defence minded coach was earlier reported to have had an interview scheduled with the Detroit Pistons, who are looking for a new head coach after
firing John Kuester.
Dwane Casey has experience of head coaching in the NBA as he had a stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2005 to 2007. Dwane’s overall record with the Timberwolves read 53 – 69 but it was misleading of his work, as the embattled
coach was restricted by very limited resources at the time. The Minnesota Timberwolves were built around Kevin Garnett and there wasn’t any notable support available to the future Hall of Famer.
Still Casey managed to get some good performances out of the side in his second season with the Timberwolves, starting 20 – 20 before he was axed from the job. The Timberwolves’ fortunes plummeted after the removal of Dwane Casey
as the side went 12 – 30 during the rest of the season and missed out on the playoffs once again.
Dwane Casey’s stint with the Dallas Mavericks brought him back into the attention of GMs around the league. Dwane Casey served as Rick Carlisle’s deputy on the sidelines for the Dallas Mavericks as they reached the NBA Finals and
then claimed the first NBA World Championship in the history of the franchise.
Casey is believed to be the architect behind Dallas’ stand out defence that shut down the likes of LeBron James in the Finals and proved a critical factor in the Dallas Mavericks win. As such, Dwane Casey’s stock has continued
to rise and now it seems the former Minnesota Timberwolves coach has secured the job at the Toronto Raptors.
New York Knicks head coach Mike D’Antoni was also in the frame for the Raptors job but Casey has now won the battle. His work on defence seems to have impressed the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors are looking to rebuild their team
after the departure of Chris Bosh in free agency last season left them with little chance of making it to the playoffs.
They have some good young players and a high pick, 5th overall, in the 2011 NBA Draft.
The delay in the announcement is believed to be because the Raptors are busy with pre draft workouts of prospects such as the Congolese big man Bismack Biyombo in New York.
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