Toronto is still without a coach after the Raptors parted ways with Dwane Casey shortly after the team was swept in the 2018 Eastern Conference semifinals. In searching for their next coach, the Raptors recently interviewed one candidate with NBA ties.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Raptors president Masai Ujiri interviewed Sarunas Jasikevicius for the team’s coaching vacancy. Jasikevicius played in the NBA from 2005-07 for the Indiana Pacers and Golden State Warriors before becoming a coach in Europe.
Here’s more from Wojnarowski on the Raptors’ interview with Jasikevicius:
Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri interviewed young EuroLeague coaching star Sarunas Jasikevicius for the franchise’s head-coaching job, league sources told ESPN.
Ujiri met with Jasikevicius, 42, in Europe in recent days, and he’s become another candidate to replace Dwane Casey.
Ujiri had traveled to Europe for the NBA pre-draft camp in Italy.
Jasikevicius led Zalgiris of Lithuania to the EuroLeague Final Four this season.
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The Raptors are still seriously considering assistant coach Nick Nurse, Spurs assistants Ettore Messina and Ime Udoka. Toronto is considering the possibility of further conversations with candidates in the near future, league sources said.
Michael Grange of Rogers Sportsnet reports via Twitter that the list of finalists for the Raptors job is basically now set:
Raptors head coach search to be narrowed down to three candidates — Raptors assistant Nick Nurse, Spurs assistant Ettore Messina, and either Spurs assistant Ime Udoka or Zalgiris Kaunas head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius — this week.
Per recent reports, Udoka is also being considered for the Detroit Pistons’ coaching vacancy.
