Dwane Casey says it was ‘exciting’ to see Raptors win title

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 11: Head Coach Dwane Casey of the Detroit Pistons coaches his team against the Brooklyn Nets during their game at Barclays Center on March 11, 2019 in New York City. User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Dwane Casey had nothing but positive things to say about the fact that his former team just won the NBA title.

Casey coached the Toronto Raptors for seven seasons but was fired last offseason — even though he’d just guided the Raptors to a team-record 59 wins and would eventually win coach of the year honors. Nick Nurse took over, and Toronto won its first championship this month.

“It was exciting. It was good to see,” said Casey, now the coach of the Detroit Pistons. “To see a guy like Kyle Lowry, kid like Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet and those guys — Serge Ibaka, guys I coached — win. It was really thrilling, because I know that was a goal going in with that group, and to see them win it was great.”

Casey was at the Pistons’ practice facility Friday, when they introduced first-round draft pick Sekou Doumbouya. When asked about the Raptors, he also said he was happy for the fans.

“For that city to win a championship, it had to be thrilling for them,” Casey said.