Toronto Raptors to hire Nick Nurse as head coach: report

By Dave Zarum, Sportsnet

One month into their coaching search, Masai Ujiri and the Toronto Raptors may have neared a decision on who will be the team’s next head coach.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Nick Nurse will be the franchises next head coach.

Earlier this week there were reports that Ujiri & Co. had narrowed their list down to two candidates: San Antonio Spurs assistant Ettore Messina, and Nurse.

Nurse has spent the past five seasons as an assistant coach with the Raptors under Casey.

This past season he is credited with playing a major role in overhauling the team’s offence, finding ways to move the ball more and manufacture three-point shot opportunities.

The team went from dead-last in the NBA in assists in 2016-17 (18 per game) to sixth (24 per game), and from 21st in three-pointers made per game (8.8) to fourth (11.8).

The Raptors also went from the NBA’s 10th-highest scoring offence the prior season to fourth in 2017-18.

Toronto is currently the only NBA franchise without a head coach.

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