The Toronto Raptors made major moves at the trade deadline to improve their roster by adding defensive aces Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker. The two helped the team drastically bolster the defense during the second half the season, looking to be a more promising team than last year’s.
After a tough first-round matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks where the Raptors won in six games, they advanced to get a rematch against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Having the defensive pieces in play, the Raptors expected to matchup better against LeBron James and company, but they have failed to succeed.
The Cavaliers have taken a commanding 3-0 lead in the series and are on the verge of sweeping the Raptors Sunday evening.
Will Raptors relieve Dwane Casey if they are swept?
A sweep in the second round would look terrible for the Raptors after they made it to the Conference Finals last year. It’s almost as if the Raptors peaked last season, winning 56 games and going deep into the playoffs. They pushed the Cavaliers to six games last year in the Conference Finals, which is why it’s upsetting to see them crumble this season.
If the Raptors are indeed swept on Sunday, they may strongly consider firing head coach Dwane Casey. There is no question that Casey has done an excellent job of coaching the team since taking over in 2011.
In fact, the Raptors improved their record every single season under Casey since the 2011-2012 campaign, but they slightly regressed this year. Therefore, it may be time for a change since it looks like this is the best the Raptors are ever going to be under Casey.
Kyle Lowry’s free agency
Kyle Lowry has a player option, which he is expected to decline to become an Unrestricted Free Agent.
In addition to possibly firing Casey, the team may lose Lowry in free agency, indicating that they should slowly move into a different direction.
It’s been a good six-year run under Coach Casey, but the same theme seems to be repeating now for the Raptors. They are an average team compared to other elite teams out West, nowhere near being championship contenders.
The addition of Ibaka may also turn out to be a failed project, as the 27-year-old will become an unrestricted free agent and is likely to demand a lot of money. Unfortunately, the team is on the brink of gradually breaking up, possibly leaving DeMar DeRozan as the only cornerstone piece.
There is still a Game 4 to be played Sunday evening, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Raptors part ways with Dwane Casey some time during the offseason. It just isn’t going to work.
