Raptors part ways with Antonio Daniels
Raptors part ways with Antonio Daniels
THE TORONTO STAR
Day 111, 2015
TORONTO— The Toronto Raptors organization has parted ways with head coach Antonio Daniels, the team announced following a Day 110 loss to the Bullets in Washington.
After briefly sitting at 34-35, on the cusp of the eight seed, despite a tumultuous season that has seen multiple stars traded, the Raptors lost five in a row, beginning with an absolutely horrifying loss against the Hornets in which Toronto was outscored 41 to 8 in the first quarter. Sources inside the organization told the Star that team president JWoo and Daniels got into a verbal altercation in the tunnel in Charlotte, with Woo overheard screaming "ROB ME FOR SEVEN MORE F—ING SEASONS WHY DON'T YOU?" and Daniels responding by showing the team footage of Jurassic Park on the flight home to Canada.
Things only got worse from there, as brief injuries to Jamario Moon and Joe Ingles compromised an already-thin Raptors team. Toronto lies out of the playoff race, perpetuating a four-year drought that's ultimately stained the reputation of a once-proud franchise.
"I don't think Antonio did a great job, but this is JWoo's fault," one source within the organization said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "When you trade away Lou Williams after 65 days, then trade away Gordon Hayward, then trade away Danny Granger for Jamario Moon? What do you expect?"
Daniels went 126-194 over the course of nearly four seasons at the helm in Toronto. Originally hand-picked by JWoo to lead a patient Toronto rebuild (or...potentially still under contract from his playing days, sources said), Daniels was tasked with mentoring and developing a young Raptors core that included since-traded Ricky Rubio, who failed to make major strides as a jump shooter and was the centerpiece of a major trade for superstar Shaun Livingston. Other failed prospects included Draymond Green, who was shipped off to Detroit after throwing a haymaker at Kwame Brown in practice.
"We're sorry to part ways with Antonio," Woo told the media, "but we felt we weren't seeing the level of progress we expected and we feel the locker room needs a different voice. He'll always be a Raptor, literally, because he's on a lifetime contract. We all knew what we were signing up for with this rebuild, but with Shaun here now, we owe it to him to get this thing moving in a better direction next season."
Sources said the next head coach is expected to be a player that can better connect with Livingston, who's in midst of a career renaissance at age 29, after fleeing an oppressive Houston offense that helped him win a title and MVP, but also only allowed him to shoot layups and pass to Eddy Curry. Livingston and Daniels didn't see eye to eye early in the season, with Daniels opting to deploy him away from the ball in favor of Williams. The rift between Livingston and Williams, both acquired in major off-season trades, grew deeper as Williams began exploring gentleman's clubs on every road trip. Livingston felt Daniels was catering to Williams, forcing the front office into a difficult spot as the team descended into mediocrity.
Only Livingston remains, with several prime years left on a large contract. "I'm here for the rest of my career," Livingston said, "and I think I can help lead these guys."
The fan base is hopeful the Raptors will take a bigger step forward in 2015-16, with a host of exciting young players whose best basketball lies ahead of them, including 19-year-old Aaron Gordon, budding massage therapist Steven Adams, and the emerging Glen Rice, as well as NDL standout Otto Porter Jr., the centerpiece of the Lou Williams trade, who is expected to make his Toronto debut next season.
"I'm grateful to JWoo for letting me coach this team, and even more grateful to him for putting the next 10 generations of Daniels children through college," Daniels said. "But also, nobody could fix this thing. I said what I said."
Early names for the job include Raptors legend Terrell Brandon and Livingston's former mentor in Philadelphia, Hanno Mottola.
Day 111, 2015
Raptors part ways with Antonio Daniels
TORONTO— The Toronto Raptors organization has parted ways with head coach Antonio Daniels, the team announced following a Day 110 loss to the Bullets in Washington.
After briefly sitting at 34-35, on the cusp of the eight seed, despite a tumultuous season that has seen multiple stars traded, the Raptors lost five in a row, beginning with an absolutely horrifying loss against the Hornets in which Toronto was outscored 41 to 8 in the first quarter. Sources inside the organization told the Star that team president JWoo and Daniels got into a verbal altercation in the tunnel in Charlotte, with Woo overheard screaming "ROB ME FOR SEVEN MORE F—ING SEASONS WHY DON'T YOU?" and Daniels responding by showing the team footage of Jurassic Park on the flight home to Canada.
Things only got worse from there, as brief injuries to Jamario Moon and Joe Ingles compromised an already-thin Raptors team. Toronto lies out of the playoff race, perpetuating a four-year drought that's ultimately stained the reputation of a once-proud franchise.
"I don't think Antonio did a great job, but this is JWoo's fault," one source within the organization said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "When you trade away Lou Williams after 65 days, then trade away Gordon Hayward, then trade away Danny Granger for Jamario Moon? What do you expect?"
Daniels went 126-194 over the course of nearly four seasons at the helm in Toronto. Originally hand-picked by JWoo to lead a patient Toronto rebuild (or...potentially still under contract from his playing days, sources said), Daniels was tasked with mentoring and developing a young Raptors core that included since-traded Ricky Rubio, who failed to make major strides as a jump shooter and was the centerpiece of a major trade for superstar Shaun Livingston. Other failed prospects included Draymond Green, who was shipped off to Detroit after throwing a haymaker at Kwame Brown in practice.
"We're sorry to part ways with Antonio," Woo told the media, "but we felt we weren't seeing the level of progress we expected and we feel the locker room needs a different voice. He'll always be a Raptor, literally, because he's on a lifetime contract. We all knew what we were signing up for with this rebuild, but with Shaun here now, we owe it to him to get this thing moving in a better direction next season."
Sources said the next head coach is expected to be a player that can better connect with Livingston, who's in midst of a career renaissance at age 29, after fleeing an oppressive Houston offense that helped him win a title and MVP, but also only allowed him to shoot layups and pass to Eddy Curry. Livingston and Daniels didn't see eye to eye early in the season, with Daniels opting to deploy him away from the ball in favor of Williams. The rift between Livingston and Williams, both acquired in major off-season trades, grew deeper as Williams began exploring gentleman's clubs on every road trip. Livingston felt Daniels was catering to Williams, forcing the front office into a difficult spot as the team descended into mediocrity.
Only Livingston remains, with several prime years left on a large contract. "I'm here for the rest of my career," Livingston said, "and I think I can help lead these guys."
The fan base is hopeful the Raptors will take a bigger step forward in 2015-16, with a host of exciting young players whose best basketball lies ahead of them, including 19-year-old Aaron Gordon, budding massage therapist Steven Adams, and the emerging Glen Rice, as well as NDL standout Otto Porter Jr., the centerpiece of the Lou Williams trade, who is expected to make his Toronto debut next season.
"I'm grateful to JWoo for letting me coach this team, and even more grateful to him for putting the next 10 generations of Daniels children through college," Daniels said. "But also, nobody could fix this thing. I said what I said."
Early names for the job include Raptors legend Terrell Brandon and Livingston's former mentor in Philadelphia, Hanno Mottola.
Leagues sources tell me the Toronto Raptors are zeroing in on Kevin Garnett to takeover as head coach after a storied career.
Dale Davis (again and again)
Welcome to Atlanta where the playas play
And we ride on dem thangs like ev-ery day
Big beats, hit streets, see gangstahs roamin'
And parties don't stop 'til eight in the Monin
And we ride on dem thangs like ev-ery day
Big beats, hit streets, see gangstahs roamin'
And parties don't stop 'til eight in the Monin
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