The Toronto Raptors have started building towards next season this week with the naming of Nick Nurse as the team's new head coach, replacing Dwane Casey who was fired after the team's playoff elimination last season.
Nurse, who was the Raptors’ assistant coach for the past five years, was named as the team’s head coach this week, becoming their ninth head coach in franchise history.
He has also already revealed how the team will operate next season in order to make sure they don't repeat last season's mistakes.
More of the ball
According to Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports, the new Raptors head coach wants to give point guard Kyle Lowry more of the ball next season because he's 'never seen a guy compete the way he competes.'
Nurse said: “I love him. I’ve never seen a guy compete the way he competes. There is a lot to love about the way he plays and what he’s brought us all.”
The Raptors head coach added that the guard made a lot of sacrifices on offense last year. He intends to give him the ball more often now.
Despite finishing in the first overall seed in the Eastern Conference last season with a 59–23 record, the Raptors were eliminated from this year's playoffs at the Conference semifinals stages, being embarrassing swept in the series by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
As a result, Casey was fired as the head coach of the Raptors and Nurse was promoted earlier this week to be his replacement. Nurse said the following about the role on NBA.com:
“Iʼm proud to take on the role of head coach of the Toronto Raptors, and to continue to work with the exceptional players we have here.
"Iʼm grateful to Masai, Bobby, Larry Tanenbaum and the MLSE ownership for this opportunity. Toronto and the Raptors organization has been my home for the past five years, and Iʼve watched this group grow and succeed together. Iʼm looking forward to more of that this season, and to working towards our shared goal, which is to earn the right to call ourselves NBA Champions.”
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