Dwane Casey, currently in the Detroit Pistons front office, has been interviewing for Toronto Raptors president of basketball operations position.
Dwane Casey is in the mix to run his former team.
The Detroit Pistons front office executive — and former head coach — is a leading candidate for the Toronto Raptors' president of basketball operations position, according to a person with knowledge of the situation, who told the Free Press but requested anonymity due to ongoing discussions.
Casey has been through multiple rounds of interviews, and will meet with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment for a final round this week.
The Raptors are looking for a new leader after parting ways with former president and vice chairman Masai Ujiri in June after 12 years, and are open to a reunion with Casey, the coach who helped them emerge as an Eastern Conference contender a decade ago.
Sportsnet reported on Saturday, July 26, that current Raptors general manager Bobby Webster is widely speculated to be the leading candidate for the job, and that Casey had met with MLSE president Keith Pelley.
Casey previously coached the Raptors from 2011-18, winning Coach of the Year in his final season after leading them to a franchise-best 59 wins. They won just 23 games in Casey's first season and steadily improved year-after-year as DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry developed into All-Stars.
Despite his dismissal following the Raptors' second-round sweep to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018, Casey has remained one of the most notable parts of their success. Toronto, of course, went on to trade for Kawhi Leonard and bring home its first, and only, NBA title in 2019. Casey initially was contacted by the Raptors' search firm, CAA Executive Search, prior to the interview process.
The Pistons hired Casey as coach in 2018 after he was fired by Toronto. He coached the Pistons for five seasons before joining their front office at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season. The team underwent immense change during Casey's tenure, moving on from Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond before eventually rebuilding around Cade Cunningham.
He has been with the Pistons through multiple front office changes, hired initially by senior advisor Ed Stefanski before Troy Weaver took over as general manager in 2020, followed by Trajan Langdon as president last summer. Casey's official title is "front office associate," and he has since witnessed the team transform from a franchise-worst 14-68 finish in 2023-24 to last season's 44-win turnaround, snapping a 17-year draught without a playoff win during their first-round exit to the New York Knicks.
During his decades-long career as an NBA head and assistant coach, Casey has developed a reputation for player development. He's had a voice regarding the Pistons' scouting and personnel decisions and now has a chance to return to a familiar role by taking over a rebuilding Raptors team coming off of back-to-back seasons of 25 and 30 wins.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Dwane Casey, Pistons front office exec, in mix to run Toronto Raptors
Category: Basketball
