The Toronto Raptors probably aren’t going to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals after running into the buzzsaw that is LeBron James and dropping the first three games to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
With that in mind, whispers are already percolating that the Raptors could make sweeping changes in the off-season and, even after a season in which his team secured the No. 1 seed on the strength of 59 wins, head coach Dwane Casey could reportedly be on the hot seat.
However, the notion that Casey’s job could be in jeopardy did not sit well with Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue and he let the world know about it in advance of Game 4.
Tyronn Lue on notion that Raps could fire Casey: “That’s absurd. That’s crazy."
— (((Eric Koreen))) (@ekoreen) May 7, 2018
Ty Lue on Dwane Casey’s job potentially being in jeopardy: “That’s absurd. That’s crazy.”
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) May 7, 2018
In some ways, it would be expected to hear a head coach stand up for a colleague like this and it isn’t a surprise that Lue elected to do so. Still, it is wild to consider that Casey might actually be on the hot seat given what has transpired this season.
Casey may not win NBA Coach of the Year honors but it wouldn’t be shocking if he did and, at the very least, the Raptors head coach is expected to finish near the top of the heap for the award. It would be fair to indicate that he hasn’t had the best series against the Cavs but, in the same breath, losing to a team led by James is something that many qualified head coaches can identify with. And Casey’s work in helping Toronto ascend to heights never before seen in franchise history is undeniable.
In the coming days, Masai Ujiri and the Raptors may elect to make a big change and that significant move may be to let Dwane Casey go. If that happens, though, it is safe to assume that Tyronn Lue won’t be the only member of the basketball community describing that decision as “absurd.”
