The Toronto Raptors surprised fans when they decided to fire head coach Nick Nurse on Friday morning.
Nurse, who led the Raptors to win the NBA championship in 2019, is now widely considered the favorite to become head coach of the Rockets. The Raptors, meanwhile, have a big decision to make when it comes to finding a replacement for the 2020 NBA Coach of the Year.
Whoever takes over for Nurse will inherit a roster with two-time All-Star Pascal Siakam, one-time All-Star Fred VanVleet, Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes, and OG Anunoby (who was one of the most coveted players at the trade deadline).
Toronto’s coaching decision will reflect whether the franchise plans to rebuild (VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. both have player options and can become free agents this offseason) or just slightly retool for another championship pursuit.
Here is more from Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri (via ESPN):
“This is an opportunity for us to reset, to refocus, to put into place the personnel and the players who will help us reach our goal of winning our next championship.”
Ime Udoka is expected to be a “serious candidate” for the opening in Toronto, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Here is who else the organization may have in mind.