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Nick Nurse is the new Raptors Head Coach, but is he the right choice?

By Thomas Valentine

TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 15: Head coach Dwane Casey of the Toronto Raptors listens to assistant coach Nick Nurse against the Charlotte Hornets during NBA game action at Air Canada Centre on February 15, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 15: Head coach Dwane Casey of the Toronto Raptors listens to assistant coach Nick Nurse against the Charlotte Hornets during NBA game action at Air Canada Centre on February 15, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /
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Love it or hate it, Nick Nurse is the new head coach of the Toronto Raptors. The general consensus is that the hiring of Nurse is a safe and respectable choice, but what if it’s the wrong one?

Much has been made of continuity this offseason for the Toronto Raptors. At some level continuity makes sense, the team experienced a historic regular season before crashing out in the second round of the playoffs, courtesy of the best basketball player on the planet. It was an embarrassing end to a great season.

Despite the ending, there were positives to be taken even from the playoffs. The improved performances of Kyle Lowry and OG Anunoby’s 18 point outing in Game 3 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, to name a few.

Nick Nurse doesn’t necessarily move the needle

Although he is the man credited with revitalizing the flat and obsolete offense of the Raptors from two seasons ago, bringing a more team-oriented, fluid style of play. The Raptors will likely still be the same team as the one Casey had at his disposal. It would be the same scenario for whoever took the head coaching job. The Raptors don’t have a lot of financial wriggle room, so unless major trades take shape in the coming months, the bulk of this roster will remain the same.

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That’s not to say that this is a bad roster. Because it definitely isn’t. It just doesn’t point to a culture shift or a new direction. And with the Celtics and Sixers both moving into the territory of contenders, the Raptors trajectory starts to drop a little, with now more than just one team standing in the way of their destiny.

Continuity isn’t always key

One of the main reasons behind the hiring of Nick Nurse was continuity. In theory, this makes sense, you keep the majority of a strong roster, which has had some success, and  run it back hoping for different results. But what if the results aren’t different? What if this roster just isn’t good enough? There’s obvious weaknesses in this team. Perimeter defense was a particular complaint during the playoffs, the Raptors giving up a three-point percentage of over 38-percent during their 10 game run. The league average this past season was .36-percent. (per basketball-reference.com)

Obviously Nurse won’t be deploying the exact same defensive scheme as Dwane Casey. Individuals have different ideas, that much is clear. But how different can it really be from last season? Expecting the same group of players to deliver different results doesn’t sound like continuity; it sounds like someone afraid of taking risks. Internal hires indicate that many changes won’t be made within the organisation, and that’s fair enough. Safe choices aren’t always the right choices though, a breath of fresh air may have been required.

Next: What changes to expect under Nick Nurse

Time will tell if this appointment is right one. Come the end of the season the team could be back to square one, swept in the playoffs and afraid to blame the players; can Nick Nurse be the solution or just another band-aid for the problem? 

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