Raptors news: Unusual coaching candidate considered, UDFA target worked out

The Toronto Raptors appear to finally be in the home stretch of their head coaching search after weeks of uncertainty and minimal clarity. Names like Steve Nash and JJ Redick have come and gone, but fans might get some sort of resolution soon.

The latest buzz seems to hint at the notion that Sergio Scariolo, Jordi Fernandez, and Darko Rajakovichave emerged as the top three finalists to be Nick Nurse’s successor. The latest rumor shows how wide-ranging Masai Ujiri’s coaching search really was.

According to Marc Stein, who has confirmed that Toronto’s final list of suitors is down to just three coaches, the team has expressed interest in Sarūnas Jasikevicius. The legendary European coach is currently dominating with Barcelona, and hasn’t been shy about the fact he isn’t too keen on North American basketball.

The idea of hiring Scariolo comes with some risk, and that is in spite of the fact that he was on an NBA bench for a very long time. While Jasikevicius has a resume that would make just about anyone pay their respects to him, he might not be the best fit right now for Toronto.

More Raptors news.

• The Raptors are working out a very old NBA Draft prospect, as they took a look at 26-year-old Memphis PF DeAndre Williams. Williams, who averaged 17.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game last season, is looking for a waiver that could get him one more year of eligibility. Williams, who will be 27 when the season starts, is one month older than Devin Booker, who will start his ninth NBA campaign.
• Bleacher Report is back at it with the Fred VanVleet/Los Angeles Lakers trades, creating one in which VanVleet is signed and traded for D’Angelo Russell. Russell is a solid player, but VanVleet likely wouldn’t up a below-market value player option. Paying Russell a ton of money might not appeal, either.

NBA news

• Tyler Herro, who has not played in the postseason for the Miami Heat due to a surgical operation on his hand, is testing it out with an eye on eventually playing at some point in the NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets. Playing in Game 2 seems like it could, at the very least, be a possibility.
• Adam Silver claims that the NBA has already decided on what the punishment for Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant would be after he was caught once again brandishing a gun on Instagram, but he will not reveal what the punishment is until after the conclusion of the Finals.