This is the part of professional sports that I hate — the business side.
Whenever a player gets traded or released, they say that “it’s just part of the business.”
When a team fires a coach or a general manager, “it’s just part of the business.”
So as the rumour mill spins out of control over the fate of Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey following the team’s second-round playoff sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers, it’s time to talk business.
Should Casey stay or should he go?
Scenario No. 1 – Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri does the deed and ditches Casey after sevens seasons at the helm. Toronto would be turfing the winningest head coach in franchise history (.560 winning percentage in the regular season and playoffs) and one of the favourites to be named NBA Coach of the Year on June 25.
Scenario No. 2 – Ujiri decides that Casey’s coaching isn’t to blame for Toronto’s playoff failures and keeps the status quo. Does that mean players have to be moved out? If so, who? Kyle Lowry? DeMar DeRozan? Their contracts are virtually untradeable at $31 million and $27.7 million a year, respectively.
Scenario No. 3 – Ujiri stands pat and hopes like heck that LeBron James leaves Cleveland for the second time in his career and takes his talents to the City of Angels and plays for the L.A. Lakers. It’s not out of the question, but professional sports teams tend to want to control their own destiny and don’t usually play the wait-and-see game.
What do I think will happen? I don’t like it, but the Raptors will most likely fire Casey.
Whenever a franchise suffers its biggest disappointment, there is always a fall guy. And as the old saying goes, it is easier to get rid of one person than the whole team.
That one person will be Casey. I hate to say it, but “it’s just part of the business.”
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