Raptors Fire Coach Nick Nurse in Effort to ‘Reset, Refocus’

The Raptors have fired coach Nick Nurse after he met with team president Masai Ujiri several times recently, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Ujiri announced the move in a press release.

“The decision to make a change like this is never arrived at easily or taken lightly, especially when it comes to a person who has been an integral part of this franchise’s most historic accomplishments, and who has been a steady leader through some of our team’s most challenging times,” Ujiri said. “As we reflect on Nick’s many successes, we thank him and his family, and wish them the best in future.

“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.”

Nurse guided the Raptors to their lone championship, in 2019 when star forward Kawhi Leonard made a one-year run with the club.

But it was an uneven season this year, with the Raptors finishing 41-41 and losing to the Bulls in the play-in tournament. Nurse went 227-163 in five seasons overall.

He is expected to be a candidate for coaching vacancies with the Pistons and Rockets, and any others that may arise. Nurse replaced former Raptors coach Dwane Casey, who just moved into Detroit’s front office.

Former Celtics coach Ime Udoka is expected to be a candidate with the Raptors, per Wojnarowski, as is current Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin, Hoops Wire sources said.