Dwane Casey, after guiding a primary starting five of Kevin Garnett, Ricky Davis, Mark Blount, Trenton Hassell and Mike James to a 20-16 record at one point and a .500 record at the time of his firing with the Timberwolves in 2006-07, was a pretty good coach here. If he hadn't been fired, maybe the Wolves never would have traded KG.
I have a feeling Raptors fans are about to experience the same longing for Casey after the news Friday that he was fired as Toronto head coach. Casey's teams made the playoffs each of the past five years, reaching the conference finals a few years back and the second round each of the past two years.
The Raptors had the best record in the East this year, but a familiar sweep at the hands of the Cavaliers sealed Casey's fate. If being bested by LeBron James is your biggest crime, you've done just fine.
In both cases, with the Wolves and Raptors, Casey deserved better than to be fired.
Read Michael Rand's blog at startribune.com/randball. mrand@startribune.com
