Three 50-win seasons in a row weren't enough for Dwane Casey to keep his job.
The Toronto Raptors announced Friday that they had fired Casey as head coach after seven seasons. The move was confirmed by Raptors president Masai Ujiri.
“After careful consideration, I have decided this is a very difficult but necessary step the franchise must take,” said Ujiri in a written statement reported by numerous news organizations. “As a team, we are constantly trying to grow and improve in order to get to the next level. We celebrate everything Dwane has done for the organization, we thank him, and we wish him nothing but the best in future. He was instrumental in creating the identity and culture of who we are as a team, and we are so proud of that.”
Casey compiled a 320-238 overall record over his seven seasons. He holds the franchise record for wins, winning percentage, games coached, and playoff games coached. However, the team has fizzled in the playoffs, never advancing beyond the conference finals.
Casey guided the Raptors to five consecutive playoff appearances, though the last two years they were eliminated in the second round. The team was swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in this year's playoffs.
The Raptors won at least 50 games for the last three seasons in a row, with a record 59 regular-season wins this season.
Before joining the Raptors in 2011, Casey was a head coach for two seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and an assistant with the Dallas Mavericks.