Casey signs deal to coach Detroit Pistons

The best coach in Toronto Raptors history — fired last month despite being the favourite to win coach of the year honours after a 59-win season — will coach the Detroit Pistons. Dwane Casey and the Pistons agreed to a five-year deal Monday, sources confirmed to Postmedia. ESPN first reported the agreement.

Casey had been making the rounds on NBA broadcasts recently and hinted at a looming deal.

The 61-year-old had a year remaining at more than $6 million on his deal with Toronto. He could have waited for a more appealing opportunity, but there is no guarantee one would have opened.

Instead, he will succeed Stan Van Gundy and is tasked with turning around a once-proud franchise which has missed the playoffs eight of the past nine seasons and had a winning record only once in that span.

Toronto was in even more dismal shape when Casey was hired in the summer of 2011 and under Casey the team had its best run of success.

Casey went 320-238 (.573) in his seven seasons with the Raptors and 21-30 in the post-season (19-18 against teams other than the Cleveland Cavaliers), including the first conference final appearance and seven-game series wins in franchise history.

Fresh off his firing, Casey had been leaning toward taking his time, sources told Postmedia, but Detroit pursued him aggressively and offered him exceptional terms on the deal.

The Detroit Free Press reported Monday that Casey will earn “just above $7 million on average” and will begin meeting with players immediately.

Toronto has not yet hired his replacement but has pared down its initial list substantially.

It is unclear whether Casey will take any of his Toronto assistants with him to Detroit.