Pistons' Dwane Casey says poor shooting night more about missing open looks, not Hornets defense. Why is Blake Griffin struggling? Nov. 11, 2018.
Vince Ellis, Detroit Free Press
Imagine winning coach of the year and losing your job. Imagine winning a franchise-record 59 games … and losing your job.
Imagine guiding your basketball team to five straight playoff appearances and, you guessed it, losing your job.
Detroit Pistons coach Dwane Casey didn’t just oversee the rebirth of the NBAin Toronto. He was the face of the franchise in that town. He was so popular he couldn’t go out to dinner and enjoy his meal in peace. Or go out for a walk.
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Raptors’ fans knew what Casey helped build in a city without much NBA tradition. He was rewarded with a pink slip. Because he couldn’t beat LeBron James.
Well, James is gone. And the roster Casey no longer coaches is better than ever, fortified when the Raptors traded DeMar DeRozan to San Antonio for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.
Toronto has the roster to get to the Finals this season. That can’t be easy for Casey. Watching someone else step into to finish the job you started.
Not that Casey wants to talk about it. Yes, he’ll have mixed emotions when he walks into Scotiabank Arena for the Pistons' game Wednesday night in Toronto.
“I'd be lying if I said I didn’t just because I spent seven years there building a program that has been successful,” he said.
But?
“With that said, I’m excited about being in Detroit with what we’re building here, with what we’re putting together here. So initially, yes, those emotions come out, but once they throw (the ball) up, my emotions are with the Detroit Pistons, trying to get a win and building our program to a championship level.”
I don’t doubt that. Casey is here now. Enjoys Detroit. Enjoys his relative anonymity.
“Believe me … I’m not one of those who is seeking the spotlight,” he said. “I just want to coach basketball and get this team to a level of winning that the fans can be proud of.”
But don’t think it’s easy returning to a place you feel gave up on you. Especially when that place pulled the trigger with one of the biggest trades of the year.
When asked how the Raptors are different now, Casey said:
“I love DeMar DeRozan, let me start out with that, but when you have an All-Pro player, All-Defensive MVP player, Finals MVP, and not only that you add Danny Green who was a starter on a championship team, that’s two pretty good players.”
Then he stopped himself. And returned to talking about Detroit.
“Again, I’m more worried about our team than the Toronto Raptors. How are we going out to compete?”
That’s a fair question after the Pistons’ loss to Charlotte at home Sunday afternoon. The Hornets played with more energy and enthusiasm.
It’s not that the Pistons didn’t play hard, said Casey, it’s just that they are still learning how to compete.
“We did not play to our level on Sunday,” he said. “That’s the consistency we have to establish. The intensity … the compete level.”
Casey’s best teams were built around that dogged effort. Remember, he’s a defensive-minded guy first. Not just because that’s what he knows, but also it's who he has always been.
And while losing his job in Toronto stings more than he likes to admit — and I don’t blame him for not wanting to admit it because it takes away from his job with the Pistons — he found his way to the NBA by pushing a boulder uphill.
He’s just got a steeper hill to navigate. Which is fine by him.
“Detroit is coming back,” he said. “The renovation of the city is unbelievable. We want to be part of that. I can relate to Detroit because my background is hard-working, scrappy, fighting … that’s how we have to play.”
If he can help the Pistons do that, this city will embrace him as Toronto once did. All he has to do is what he did with the Raptors.
It starts with making the playoffs this year.
“Our thing is getting to the playoffs,” he admitted. “Whether it’s getting in at seven or six, wherever it is, and then going up higher.”
Contact Shawn Windsor: 313-222-6487 or swindsor@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @shawnwindsor.