Former Nets coach Steve Nash and current Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez are seemingly no longer in the running for the Raptors’ head-coaching vacancy, as relayed by Doug Smith of the Toronto Star.
The Raptors are in the process of hiring a coach after dismissing Nick Nurse following the season. Nurse has since become head coach of the 76ers.
Given that the search is ongoing, the Raptors could potentially still bring in Nash and/or Fernandez for another round of interviews, per Smith.
For now, though, it appears the pair are out of the running.
As we relayed here, Italian coach and former Raptors assistant Sergio Scariolo has interviewed with the Raptors on two occasions.’
Nash was fired by Brooklyn at the beginning of the season, back when the team still had star forward Kevin Durant and point guard Kyrie Irving.
Nash, 48, a former back-to-back NBA MVP as a point guard with the Suns, compiled a 94-67 record with the Nets. He was dismissed after a 2-5 start this past season.
Brooklyn was Nash’s first head-coaching job. A native of Vancouver, he is considered a Canadian hoops legend.
Fernandez, 40, was the top assistant to coach Mike Brown during a season in which the Kings won the Pacific Division and made the playoffs in the league’s biggest turnaround. Fernandez also has been an assistant with the Cavaliers (2009-13) and Nuggets (2016-22), and once served as head coach of the G League’s Canton Charge (2014-16).
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Hey Sam does Phil Handy seek out head coaching positions? I can’t remember if I’ve seen his name come up in offseason coaching vacancy talk. Maybe briefly a long time ago but not recently.