Toronto Raptors confirmed the departure of manager Nick Nurse on Friday after their 105-109 loss against Chicago Bulls in the NBA on Thursday.
“The decision to make a change like this is never an easy one, especially when it comes from a person who has been an integral part of this franchise’s most historic accomplishments.” Raptors President Masai Ujiri in a press release.
“Moreover, Nick has been a constant leader through some of our team’s most challenging times. As we reflect on Nick’s many successes, we thank him and his family and wish them the best in the future.
“Ultimately, this is an opportunity to redefine, refocus, and deploy the people and players who will help us achieve our goal of winning our next championship,” Masai added.
NBA champion in 2019, Nurse has ten years of service to the Canadian franchise. For the first five seasons he worked as an assistant coach.
In 2018, after Dwane Casey was fired, he took over the team. Therefore, in his first season at the helm of the Raptors, he led the team to an unprecedented league title.
The 55-year-old manager leaves the Raptors as the greatest coach in franchise history.
After all, in addition to being champion, he is the first in winning percentage (58.2%) and the second with the most wins (227).
Therefore, for the achievements achieved in the Raptors, coach Nick Nurse should not be unemployed for a long time in the league.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, he is a strong name to take over the vacancy left by Stephen Silas in the Houston Rockets.
However, Nurse’s last three seasons in Toronto have been rocky. In 2021 and this year, the team did not make the playoffs.
Last year, the Raptors fell in the first round. One of the biggest criticisms of the team was the lack of depth in the roster.
Nurse has one more year left on his contract with the franchise, but it felt like the end of the cycle. In addition to the coach’s departure, the Raptors must promote changes in the roster to become competitive again.
