After finishing as the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2021-22 NBA season, there was a lot of optimism surrounding the Toronto Raptors heading into this season. Alas, things didn’t go as planned north of the border.
The Raptors struggled to find consistency, finishing ninth in the Eastern Conference and landing in the NBA Play-In Tournament. In somewhat fitting fashion for how the season went, the Raptors led by as many as 19 points in their Play-In Game against the Chicago Bulls but blew that lead, losing 109-105.
Staring down a reset, the organization is preparing to make some major changes. The first move in that reset has been made as the Raptors have fired head coach Nick Nurse after five seasons with the team. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN shared the news on his Twitter.
Per Wojnarowski, Nurse and president Masai Ujiri met multiple times since the season ended to discuss future plans and how their partnership could continue. Nurse had one season left on his contract at $8 million and ultimately, the sides parted ways.
“The decision to make a change like this is never arrived at easily or taken lightly, especially when it comes to a person who has been an integral part of this franchise’s most historic accomplishments, and who has been a steady leader through some of our team’s most challenging times,” Ujiri said in a statement. “As we reflect on Nick’s many successes, we thank him and his family, and wish them the best in the future.
“This is an opportunity for us to reset, to refocus, to put into place the personnel and the players who will help us reach our goal of winning our next championship.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Nick Nurse & Toronto Raptors Updates
Nurse shouldn’t be a free agent for very long should he choose to continue coaching next season. While there aren’t currently many openings around the league, some teams could opt to make a change knowing that he is available.
During his five seasons as the head man in Toronto, Nurse compiled a regular season record of 227-163. They made the playoffs three times in five seasons, which led to one NBA Championship in his first season on the job.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Nick Nurse & Toronto Raptors Updates
One candidate that is already emerging as a potential replacement for Nurse is former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka. Udoka was suspended by the Celtics before the 2022-23 season for multiple violations of team rules.
He was replaced by Joe Mazzulla, who has picked up right where Udoka left after he guided the team to the NBA Finals in his first season as head coach. Udoka nearly took the Brooklyn Nets head coaching job earlier this season, but the Nets ultimately went in a different direction, promoting Jacque Vaughn.
Want the latest in NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here.
