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DALLAS—And then there were two.
According to multiple NBA sources, the Raptors have narrowed the search for a new coach to two men: Dallas Mavericks assistant Dwane Casey and Boston Celtic assistant Lawrence Frank.
Sources say president and general manager Bryan Colangelo has a strong desire to have a new coach in place as long before the June 23 NBA draft as possible but he cannot even begin interviewing Casey until the Mavericks are finished their NBA final series against the Miami Heat.
A look at the two finalists:
DWANE CASEY
Age: 54
Current situation: First year as assistant coach with Dallas Mavericks.
Head coaching experience: Had 53-69 record in a season and a half with Minnesota Timberwolves, hired in 2005, fired in 2007; no playoff appearances.
Strengths: Excellent defensive tactician; coached at a variety of levels — Japan, college, a decade and a half as an NBA assistant; known as a disciplinarian who is tough but fair with players.
Weaknesses: A season and a half isn’t a lot of time as an NBA head coach; some questions arose about his rotations and use of personnel in Minnesota; may need some help developing innovative offensive schemes.
Miscellaneous: Has been a finalist for a handful of jobs, most notably Sacramento a year ago and was in running for Houston job this month; gets most of the credit for improvement in Dallas’s defence this season.
LAWRENCE FRANK
Age: 41
Current situation: First year as assistant coach with Boston Celtics.
Head coaching experience: Had 225-241 record in six-plus seasons as head coach of New Jersey Nets; three playoff appearances.
Strengths: Meticulous preparation and game-planning; is given much credit for no drop-off in Boston defence post-Tom Thibodeau; known in Jersey for excellent end-of-game play-calling.
Weaknesses: Too autocratic, sometimes takes too much on himself and doesn’t delegate authority well … too impetuous offensively, changing schemes too often … can wear people down with his personality.
Miscellaneous: The more familiar of the finalists, primarily because of his time in New Jersey; once worked in Vancouver and once worked for Kevin O’Neill.
Raptor coaches
According to multiple NBA sources, the Raptors have narrowed the search for a new coach to two men: Dallas Mavericks assistant Dwane Casey and Boston Celtic assistant Lawrence Frank.
Sources say president and general manager Bryan Colangelo has a strong desire to have a new coach in place as long before the June 23 NBA draft as possible but he cannot even begin interviewing Casey until the Mavericks are finished their NBA final series against the Miami Heat.
A look at the two finalists:
DWANE CASEY
Age: 54
Current situation: First year as assistant coach with Dallas Mavericks.
Head coaching experience: Had 53-69 record in a season and a half with Minnesota Timberwolves, hired in 2005, fired in 2007; no playoff appearances.
Strengths: Excellent defensive tactician; coached at a variety of levels — Japan, college, a decade and a half as an NBA assistant; known as a disciplinarian who is tough but fair with players.
Weaknesses: A season and a half isn’t a lot of time as an NBA head coach; some questions arose about his rotations and use of personnel in Minnesota; may need some help developing innovative offensive schemes.
Miscellaneous: Has been a finalist for a handful of jobs, most notably Sacramento a year ago and was in running for Houston job this month; gets most of the credit for improvement in Dallas’s defence this season.
LAWRENCE FRANK
Age: 41
Current situation: First year as assistant coach with Boston Celtics.
Head coaching experience: Had 225-241 record in six-plus seasons as head coach of New Jersey Nets; three playoff appearances.
Strengths: Meticulous preparation and game-planning; is given much credit for no drop-off in Boston defence post-Tom Thibodeau; known in Jersey for excellent end-of-game play-calling.
Weaknesses: Too autocratic, sometimes takes too much on himself and doesn’t delegate authority well … too impetuous offensively, changing schemes too often … can wear people down with his personality.
Miscellaneous: The more familiar of the finalists, primarily because of his time in New Jersey; once worked in Vancouver and once worked for Kevin O’Neill.
Raptor coaches
PLEASE LET IT NOT BE FRANK!
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