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Who is the most important coach for your development as a player? You can’t say Dwane Casey, not that you necessarily would. Calderon: No, I’m not saying him because I think it’s got to be earlier than that. I would say a lot of them: [Spanish coaches] Alvaro Bilbao, Oscar Quintana, Andreu Casadevall. I think everybody gives me something to learn from. National Post

Toronto Raptors, Dwane Casey, Jose Manuel Calderon 

Nobody was willing to divulge exactly what Dwane Casey said at halftime on Monday night. Apparently, it was sharp and possibly profane. Turnovers were a bugaboo during the Toronto Raptors’ training camp. And in the name of trying to pick up the pace offensively, the Raptors turned the ball over 14 times in the first half against Milwaukee. “It drives him crazy,” Raptors swingman DeMar DeRozan said. “You can definitely see it. [Over] everything else, he hates turnovers. We’re just trying to clean that up so we ain’t got to hear his mouth.” National Post

Toronto Raptors, Dwane Casey, DeMar DeRozan 

After a minor setback thanks to a strained calf that sidelined him for a week of training camp, Valanciunas is expected in the lineup when the Raptors face the Detroit Pistons in their second exhibition game. “We’re going to throw him out there,” coach Dwane Casey said after Valanciunas went through a full three-hour contact practice at the Air Canada Centre. “We’re going to see how his body feels (Wednesday) after going through (Tuesday) and then we’ll make the decision. Well see how he reacts but we’re anticipating looking at him (against the Pistons).” Toronto Star

Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Dwane Casey, Training Camp 

“He really needs to get out there,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. Valanciunas has not even had an official practice yet because of a strained calf he suffered the week before training camp began. “We don’t want to rush him. But at the same time, to get him used to the speed of the NBA, the physicality of the NBA, the strength of the guys in the NBA, banging and hitting, he needs that.” National Post

Toronto Raptors, Dwane Casey, Jonas Valanciunas 

Dwane Casey is trying to recall a childhood memory of growing up in the small farming town of Morganfield, Kentucky. Here’s the first image that pops into his mind. “I remember (activist) Dick Gregory coming to town to try and get rid of segregation. I remember him speaking on the courthouse steps. I remember the Klan rally, them riding through town as he was speaking.” What does a Klan rally look like? “Guys with white hoods riding in their cars,” Casey shrugs. “I knew what it stood for. I knew someone didn’t like me. Growing up, you hear all these stories about the Klan — Klan, Klan, Klan. You think of the boogeyman.” Toronto Star

Toronto Raptors, Dwane Casey 

Ryan Wolstat: "We’re going to demand that Andrea rebounds, he’s still 7-foot," said Dwane Casey Twitter

Toronto Raptors, Dwane Casey, Andrea Bargnani 

Ryan Wolstat: As I've written a few times Dwane Casey loves Lowry, loves him. And Alvin Williams is very tight with him Twitter

Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Dwane Casey, Kyle Lowry, Alvin Williams 

The enthusiasm in Bargnani’s voice is palpable in a short telephone conversation. He talks about almost constant contact with Raptors director sports science Alex McKechnie to keep his training regimen going and a constant dialogue with head coach Dwane Casey. There is disappointment when Bargnani talks about last season; it dissipates quickly when the conversation switches to next year. “The feelings for last year are the same but I am really positive about next season, I wish we could start tomorrow,” he said. Toronto Star

Toronto Raptors, Dwane Casey, Andrea Bargnani 

Toronto Raptors: Colangelo says he will be exercising the option year on head coach Dwane Casey's contract. #Raptors #RTZ Twitter

Toronto Raptors, Coaching, Dwane Casey 

Coach Dwane Casey says the Toronto Raptors are headed in the right direction. Casey told his season-ending news conference that his players wanted to be coached and be held accountable. Casey says as far as statistics went: “Defensively we were off the charts. As far as what we accomplished offensively, we didn’t get there where we wanted to go.” Toronto Star

Toronto Raptors, Coaching, Dwane Casey 

Toronto coach Dwane Casey doesn't disagree. He wants Magloire back with the Raptors next season. "That's our plan," Casey said. "We haven't really sat down and talked about it. We haven't made an offer to him. But that's my hope and my plan." FOXSports Florida

Toronto Raptors, Dwane Casey, Jamaal Magloire 

Emiliano Carchia: More Bargnani: 'With Casey as head coach we can build something important in the future. He's even more motivated now that we're not in POs' Twitter

Toronto Raptors, Coaching, Dwane Casey, Andrea Bargnani 

Emiliano Carchia: Bargnani gave an interview to Tuttosport: 'This is my best season in the NBA. I feel I am a new player and I love coach Casey' Twitter

Toronto Raptors, Coaching, Dwane Casey, Andrea Bargnani 

During the N.C.A.A. tournament, we see waves of assistants flanking their head coaches, some holding clipboards, others having conversations with players as they come off the court. Casey has been an assistant at the professional and collegiate levels, and asked which was harder, he said it was not close: college. “You got to recruit, you got to produce from that standpoint,” he said, “then once you get them there, you’ve got to make sure you help them go to class and become young men. “The N.B.A. is a business. It’s about winning games and coaching and teaching basketball.” New York Times

Toronto Raptors, Coaching, Dwane Casey 

It’s his business, too, with a college job being unlikely even though he is not formally barred. Yet Casey has consistently taken the high road when discussing his career, especially what happened at Kentucky two decades ago. “When I look back on the situation at Kentucky, it is in the rearview mirror; life goes on,” he said. “Let bygones be bygones. I don’t live my life every day hoping and wishing and thinking about what would have, could have or should have happened back in Kentucky.” He added: “I’m perfectly happy in the N.B.A. and I’m happy in Toronto. I love the organization.” New York Times

Toronto Raptors, Coaching, Dwane Casey 

For the Toronto Raptors, the world is a lot simpler. With a payroll of less than US$52-million, they have about US$6-million that they could conceivably add under the cap before Thursday’s trade deadline. The Raptors are not likely to explore that route, though. The Raptors have more than an eye directed at next year. “Bryan [Colangelo] is a very innovative guy, and Ed Stefanski,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said of the Raptors’ president and general manager, and executive vice-president, respectively. “They’re always looking to improve our team. I know we’re not going to do anything to [alter] our cap flexibility next year or to destroy our core, because I like our core. Next year is a different story. We’re going to evaluate the guys that we’ve got now and see where they are.” National Post

Toronto Raptors, Free Agency, Trade, Dwane Casey 

The NBA trade deadline is only a week away and the Toronto Raptors have already made their first move, albeit a very small one. Surprisingly, the normally secretive team has been fairly open about their trade plans: Don’t expect to be bowled over by a roster overhaul during the next few days. “We know where we are in our program and what we are trying to do and what is going on with the big picture plan,” said head coach Dwane Casey. “I know what our needs are, we know what our needs are, and Bryan has a great plan. We have flexibility and we are going to have to be selective as far as what we get and how we go after it and make sure we execute it. It’s a big off season for us to go along with the growth of some of the guys that we have.” “I don’t foresee anything,” continued Casey about the trade deadline. “That’s out of my department but I don’t foresee any of it as far as any moves – major moves or minor moves. Maybe minor, but I don’t see anything major as far as anyone in the locker room.” HoopsWorld

Toronto Raptors, Trade, Dwane Casey 

DeRozan was the focus of attention from the start after a somewhat intemperate note he sent out via his Twitter feed in the aftermath of Tuesday’s three-point loss in Houston. Either displeased with the fact he sat the entire fourth quarter or with another tough loss (that was Wednesday’s message), the tweet — “straight bull----” — was up for a couple of hours before it disappeared. Casey said he had a word with the third-year swingman about the wisdom of making his frustration known in such a manner. “We’re all frustrated but we have to turn that frustration around into another opportunity (Wednesday),” Casey said before the game. “It’s part of growing up, part of being a professional and, again, it was one of those things out of frustration.” Toronto Star

Toronto Raptors, Dwane Casey, Twitter, DeMar DeRozan 

But Casey suggested it was better that DeRozan lash out rather than accept a bad finish to a close game that he was forced to watch from the bench. “It shows everybody cares,” the coach said. “It shows you care and that’s why I didn’t make a big deal out of it. It was a good thing.” But a public declaration might not be the wisest move. “We handle it internally and that’s the way it is. . . . We want to be a team that’s about discipline, about doing things the right way and we’re going to be,” said the coach. Toronto Star

Toronto Raptors, Dwane Casey, Twitter, DeMar DeRozan 

DeRozan agreed. “This is a tough job,” he said. “When you’re a competitor and you’re losing, it can definitely get to you. It’s human nature. We don’t mean no harm by it, it’s our competitive spirit, you want to go out and win every game you play in.” But that frustration may stay private now. “You live and you learn,” he said. “Probably a couple years from now, when I’m a vet or whatever, I can tell young guys, ‘Don’t do this’ or something like that.” Toronto Star

Toronto Raptors, Dwane Casey, Twitter, DeMar DeRozan