Casey back to guide Raptors
Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey will return next season, new general manager Masai Ujiri announced Wednesday.
“I’m excited about moving forward and growing this team with coach Casey,” Ujiri said.
Ujiri was hired to replace Bryan Colangelo, who was reassigned, and said at his introductory press conference on June 5 that he’d consider all necessary changes.
Assistant general manager Ed Stefanski , some scouts and other front office employees are out.
Casey met early in the month with Ujiri and separately with Raptors CEO Tim Leiweke. According to reports, Casey was told at that time he wouldn’t lose his job.
Casey’s contract expires after the 2013-14 season. A decision regarding the assistant coaching staff “will be made in the future” according to a team statement Wednesday.
The Raptors won 23 games in Casey’s first season as head coach in 2011-2012, and won 34 games this past season.
Manwhile, the Raptors named Bobby Webster as vice president of basketball management and strategy on Wednesday.
Webster worked for the NBA in New York for the past seven years. His most recent position was associate director of salary cap management.
“I am delighted to have Bobby join our basketball operations team,” said Ujiri.