Toronto Raptors: Jerry Stackhouse is best candidate for head coach

The Toronto Raptors decided they needed a new voice in the locker room and the most suitable person for that job is Jerry Stackhouse.

If there is a person who would be the best option for the Toronto Raptors to replace former head-coach Dwane Casey, it is Jerry Stackhouse.

The 43-year-old has been around the game of basketball for most of his life. He played 18 seasons in the NBA, and was a two-time All-Star. He retired after the 2012/13 season, but didn’t stay unemployed for too long.

Before the 2015/16 season, the Raptors hired Stackhouse to be an assistant coach under Casey. President Masai Ujiri and his staff were so impressed with him after just one season, they named him head coach of the Raptors 905.

Stackhouse led that team to a championship in their inaugural season, while developing some of the Raptors rising stars. He also won Coach of the Year. In the following season he took them to the championship again, only to lose to the Austin Spurs.

The short piece above shows exactly why the Raptors need Stackhouse. He knows what it takes to compete in the NBA.

It shows also how he relates to young players looking to break into the NBA. With the Raptors having one of the youngest rosters in the league, that’s exactly the type of coach they need.

Stackhouse has already developed half of this team, because he coached them in the G-League. Fred VanVleet, Jakob Poeltl, Pascal Siakam, Delon Wright and Lorenzo Brown were all coached by Stackhouse at one time.

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If the Raptors don’t hire Stackhouse as their new head coach, then it’s very likely another team will.

Both the Detroit Pistons and the Orlando Magic are interested in hiring Stackhouse. He was also one of the coaches in the running for the New York Knicks’ head coaching job.

So regardless of who the Raptors hire to replace Casey, it’s unlikely that Stackhouse returns to the Raptors 905. Which is why instead of letting him leave the organization, they should keep him as their new head coach.

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The Toronto Raptors have multiple choices for their new head coaching position, but Stackhouse is the best choice to replace Casey. He stands out by far as the most talented out of all the potential coaches. And for the Raptors’ sake, the right decision is to hire Stackhouse to be their new head coach.