Toronto Raptors expected to be targeted for head coach job in Orlando
By Paul Taylor
The Orlando Magic are reportedly preparing to fire Frank Vogel and target the Toronto Raptors organisation for their next head coach.
One of the inherent risks of success, is other teams vying to poach your talent. The Toronto Raptors are no different.
The Raptors have been one of the NBA’s best franchises for some time now. However, they have taken their success to another level this season, with them all but certain to secure the Eastern Conference’s top seed come playoff time.
As a result, their coaching staff is expected to be targeted by other teams looking for their next head coach. More specifically, by the Orlando Magic.
Via Hoops Rumors, The New York Times‘ Mark Stein reports there is a “widely held assumption” the Magic will replace Frank Vogel. The Orlando head coach has had a disastrous season, with the team sitting near the bottom of the standings.
Stein goes on to write the Magic will apparently target Nick Nurse, Rex Kalamian and Jerry Stackhouse as potential replacements. This makes sense, given Jeff Weltman’s familiarity with the Raptors – the Magic’s president of basketball operations previously worked in Toronto.
Nurse has been an assistant with the Raptors since 2013. Before then, he spent six seasons in the NBA G League and enjoyed great success, with a resume including a Coach of the Year award in 2010-11 and a title in 2012-13.
The 50-year-old also coached for 12 years around Europe. He spent the majority of his time in England, where he won two British Basketball League Coach of the Year awards.
Kalamian has a more extensive NBA resume, with various scouting and assistant coaching roles dating back to 1992. His longest run was 11 seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, including eight seasons as an assistant.
Arguably the Cal Poly Pomona graduate’s best achievement came in 2012-13, when he helped the Oklahoma Thunder offense finish with the third-best scoring average in the NBA. He has been an assistant coach with the Raptors since 2015.
Of the three, Stackhouse has the least coaching experience. However, he has still enjoyed great success in his short time in the coaching fraternity.
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In his one season as an assistant coach for the Raptors, the 43-year-old helped them to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in franchise history. And in his inaugural year as head coach of the Raptors 905, he led them to the NBA D-League title and was named Coach of the Year.
Of course, Stackhouse is the one member of the trio to make his name as a player in the NBA. During his 18-year playing career, he averaged 16.9 points, 3.3 assists and 3.2 boards over 970 games.
The Kinston, North Carolina native also racked up a number of individual accolades during his NBA playing career. This included making the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1996 and being named a two-time All-Star.
All three have a good case for being chosen by Weltman, to take over as the Magic’s next head coach. Of course, there will be other factors to consider, including their respective contracts with the Raptors and how keen they are to actually take on the role in Orlando.
If it was our decision, we would choose Stackhouse, despite his limited experience as a coach. Apart from already showing a knack for coaching, he has played at the very highest level and commands respect; both invaluable commodities for any aspiring head coach.
Next: Raptors still rolling but questions remain
Rank the three Toronto Raptors coaches, from who you would least like to lose to Orlando to most, and explain why. Share your thoughts in the comments section below.