Raptors Make the Right Choice with Dwane Casey

By signing Dwane Casey to a contract extension, the Toronto Raptors sent a clear message that culture, continuity and stability matter.

The Toronto Raptors signed head coach Dwane Casey to a three-year contract extension, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.

The contract is right around the league average for head coaches and will pay Casey $18 million at $6 million per season.

While the return of Casey became expected news over the past few weeks, it’s easy to forget just how close the Raptors all-time leader for coaching wins was to being fired. According to ESPN, if the Raptors would have lost their first round series to the Indiana Pacers, Casey would not have been back next season.

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But we all know what happened since then, and now Casey is here for the foreseeable future, which is a good thing.

There are fair criticisms to make about Casey, however, like his rigid rotation, late in the clock play-calling, game management and overall offence, but those are all areas he showed progression in this season, particularly during the playoffs.

Look at the removal of Luis Scola from the starting lineup, or the insertion of Norman Powell, or the shortened rotation when Jonas Valanciunas went down as examples where Casey showed growth as a coach.

With an excellent group of assistant coaches surrounding Casey, there’s no reason to believe that he won’t continue to grow. While there are some question marks as to who will return out of his assistants, it sounds like the majority of them, if not all of them, will be back next season.

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That’s a huge asset for not only Casey, but also for developing players like Jonas Valanciunas, Norman Powell, and Delon Wright. You could even say it’s good for Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, too, as both players have taken substantial steps forward during Casey’s tenure.

Most importantly, though, by bringing back Casey the Raptors are committed to their long-term plan and are showing that continuity matters.

Aside from Gregg Popovich, Rick Carlisle, and Erik Spoelstra, no other coach has been with one team longer than Dwane Casey has. Having one consistent voice and leader to orchestrate Masai Ujiri’s plan is a valuable asset that has become a rarity in today’s NBA.

While other teams around the league continue to ride the coaching carousel and hit the reset button every few years, the Raptors have shown a steady commitment to Casey and it’s paid major dividends.

Next: Raptors Roundtable: Previewing the Offseason

Every year under Casey’s leadership the Raptors have improved. On top of that, his ability to get the most out of players like Lowry, who was once labeled a “coach killer”, makes this a more than deserving extension.

With the first piece of the Raptors offseason puzzle now in place, the team can start to build this roster in a way that will fit the coaching staff.

What do you think of the Toronto Raptors signing Dwane Casey to an extension? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.