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Dwane Casey now a candidate for next head coach of the Detroit Pistons

By David Topham

AUBURN HILLS, MI - APRIL 05: Head coach Dwane Casey of the Toronto Raptors yells from the sideline as Jonas Valanciunas #17 of the Toronto Raptors runs by while playing the Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills on April 5, 2017 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Toronto won the game 105-102. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
AUBURN HILLS, MI - APRIL 05: Head coach Dwane Casey of the Toronto Raptors yells from the sideline as Jonas Valanciunas #17 of the Toronto Raptors runs by while playing the Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills on April 5, 2017 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Toronto won the game 105-102. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Raptors fired Dwane Casey on Friday, making him another head coach candidate for the Detroit Pistons.

The Detroit Pistons are still without a head coach and president of basketball operations after parting ways with Stan Van Gundy on Monday. One name was added to their potential candidate pool after the Toronto Raptors fired head coach Dwane Casey on Friday.

Casey’s tenure in Toronto

Casey, 61, spent seven seasons at the helm of the Raptors. He went 320-238 during his tenure. He led the Raptors to five straight playoffs appearances and one Eastern Conference Finals appearance. This season, the Raptors won a franchise-record 59 games and finished first in the East, and Casey won the National Basketball Coaches Association coach of the year award.

Casey finds himself unemployed because his Raptors, led by Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, were unable to compete with the likes of LeBron James. Cleveland has eliminated Toronto each of the past three seasons, including two second round sweeps both this season and last. In the two seasons prior to losing 4-2 to the top-seeded Cavaliers in the East finals in 2016, Casey’s Raptors failed to get out of the first round in the playoffs despite having the higher seed. They fell 4-3 to Brooklyn as a three seed in 2014. They fell  4-0 to the Wizards as a four seed in 2015.

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Even though Toronto had its most successful half-decade in history, Raptors’ president Masai Ujiri is moving on from Casey for his inability to get the team further in the postseason. That appears to be more because of the shortcomings of the core of players when tasked with trying to stop one of the league’s best players in history than Casey’s coaching acumen. Nonetheless, Toronto wanted a change and here we are.

Casey makes sense in Detroit

Casey was the greatest coach in the short history of the Raptors who built a culture of success they hope will continue after he’s gone. While he gets less kudos for game management than connecting with his players, Casey is still somebody Detroit fans better hope the organization is considering. At least one odds maker thinks they will.

On Friday, bookmaker.eu already had Casey as the favorite to be the next coach of the Detroit Pistons. Detroit News beat writer Rod Beard pointed it out on Twitter:

The same site has Mike Budenholzer, a name also circulating around Detroit’s vacancy, as the favorite to take the reigns in Toronto. Along with the Raptors and Pistons, only the Bucks and Magic don’t have a head coach at the moment. The Knicks, Hornets, Suns, and Hawks have already filled their vacancies.

The Detroit Pistons haven’t won a playoff game in a decade with only two playoff appearances in that span. Casey has spent most of that time playing a key role in establishing one of the strongest cultures and infrastructures in the NBA. Trying to get him to do that in Detroit would make a lot a sense.

Next: Who should be the next Detroit Pistons head coach?

Detroit will likely be looking to fill its president role first, and give them some say in who they want as head coach.