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Masai Ujiri believes Dwane Casey deserves to be recognized as the best coach in the NBA Theo Riddick Jersey , but the Toronto president doesn’t think Casey should be leading the Raptors.

So the Raptors fired Casey, praising him on his way out the door.

Hours after the Raptors announced they were parting ways with Casey on Friday – days after the team was swept in the playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second straight season – Ujiri said he doesn’t think he will ever work with a better person.

”Nothing in particular that coach Casey did wrong, but I think it was time for this to happen,” he said.

Casey led the Raptors to a franchise-record 59 wins this season as Toronto earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time. He posted a 320-238 record in seven seasons and is the franchise’s winningest coach.

”I hope coach Casey gets coach of the year, because he deserves it,” Ujiri said. ”I saw everything he did here. I saw the job he did this year. He deserves it.”

But that wasn’t enough for Casey to keep his job.

James and Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said it was disappointing to hear that Casey had been fired, especially after the year the Raptors had.

”Probably within the last five years, I bet they’ve improved in winning percentage every single year,” James said. ”But I guess their front office wants playoff success. That’s what it boils down to.”

On Tuesday, Casey was named coach of the year by the National Basketball Coaches Association, an award voted on by NBA head coaches. A media panel voted separately for the NBA’s coach of the year award, which will be announced June 25.

Under Casey Levine Toilolo Jersey , the Raptors won four Atlantic Division titles and advanced to the playoffs in five consecutive seasons. But Toronto couldn’t get past Cleveland, losing to LeBron James and the Cavs in each of the past three playoffs.

Ujiri said he spent ”countless hours” evaluating the team in the days following this year’s defeat before deciding to fire Casey. It was the first time he’d had to fire a coach in more than a decade as an NBA executive.

”It’s the hardest thing I’ve done in my life,” Ujiri said. ”In terms of collaboration, I don’t think I’ll work with a better person. Maybe my dad. This guy is phenomenal. A listener, a learner, a performer and a real person.”

Ujiri had little to say about who his next head coach might be, but said he would be ”open” to considering a wide range of potential candidates.

”We’ll start that process right after I finish here,” Ujiri said. ”We’ll look everywhere. I’m not ruling out anything. We’ll do a thorough job.”

Ujiri denied reports that Casey had precipitated his firing by seeking a contract extension. Casey had one year remaining on a three-year, $18 million dollar extension he received in June, 2016.

Toronto’s assistant coaches remain in their roles, Ujiri said.

”All of them are with us for now,” Ujiri said. ”Obviously some of them will get interviews. We’re going to go through that.”

After Toronto’s playoff exit last spring Hroniss Grasu Jersey , Ujiri demanded a ”culture reset,” leading a greater emphasis on ball movement, depth, and 3-point shooting. On Friday, Ujiri said he wants his new coach to continue that style moving forward.

”I hope we can because you try to get those kind of players to fit that mode,” Ujiri said. ”Hopefully there’s a smooth transition but a new coach is going to have his style, he’s going to have his voice.”

Earlier this week, as they cleaned out their lockers, All-Star guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan spoke positively about Casey.

DeRozan credited Casey with all of his success while Lowry called Casey ”one of the best coaches out there.”

Still, Lowry was dejected by the team’s playoff performance, calling it a ”wasted year” after a third straight elimination at the hands of James and the Cavs.

”We felt like we could possibly make the NBA Finals,” Lowry said. ”That was our goal.”

On Wednesday Ethan Westbrooks Jersey , Casey insisted ”the gap is closing” between the Raptors and Cavaliers.

”A lot of folks have run up against Cleveland in the last few years and had the same challenge and it went down the same way,” he said. ”That’s the mountain this organization has to climb.”

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AP Sports Writer Tom Withers in Cleveland contributed to this report.

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There's no questioning C.J. Prosise's talent, only his ability to remain on the football field.

The third-year running back for the Seattle Seahawks has been plagued by injuries throughout his first two years in the NFL. From serious ailments like a fractured scapula, broken wrist bone and high-ankle sprains to more minor ones like groin, hamstring and hip strains, Prosise has been sidelined constantly.

With Chris Carson back from injury himself and Seattle using their first-round pick on San Diego State back Rashaad Penny, there is an urgency for Prosise to be able to stay healthy and contribute regularly this season.

Prosise spent the offseason trying to get physically ready to make the most of what could be a final opportunity with Seattle.

"I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life," Prosise said. "I feel like I can do anything on the field. I feel 100 percent and ready to go so I'm excited for this camp. We play a physical game and injuries happen and you can't avoid it. This offseason was geared around getting my body prepared to take the punishment that my body needs to take and so my body is in that position to do that now. So I'm ready to play."

Prosise buckled down with a personal trainer this offseason and was focused on putting himself in a position to withstand the types of injuries that had hampered him his first two seasons.

"That was a big change I made," Prosise said. "Before this I didn't put as much work as I should have been putting in. Now, I've kind of figured out my regimen. And also just getting on the field every day and working with drills, specific running back drills and stuff. For the most part hitting the weight room really hard and getting my body toned up and ready for the season is really what's helped the most."

Prosise has played in just 11 games in his two years in Seattle. But the limited action was still enough to show the type of player he can be when he's in peak form. As a rookie in his first career start, he gained 153 yards from scrimmage in a victory over a New England Patriots team that would go on to the win the Super Bowl. His ability to perform both as a runner and as a receiver out of the backfield caused fits for the Patriots defense.

A week later Telvin Smith Jersey , Prosise broke free for a 72-yard touchdown run against the Philadelphia Eagles. Then Prosise was sidelined when he broke his shoulder blade late in the first half and missed the rest of the season.

A pair of high-ankle sprains held him to just five games played a year ago as well.

Maybe it's the same tease he's provided in his first two camps with Seattle but Prosise is again drawing praise in the early stages of training camp.

"I'm so fired up for him," head coach Pete Carroll said. "He's always been such a terrific potential guy and he has just not been able to stay healthy. He's leaner and stronger. He just is more fit, which screams at how hard he worked and how important this is to him. Couldn't send a better message."

The old adage that your greatest ability is your availability couldn't be more apt when it comes to Prosise. All of his potential will go unrealized if he's not available on Sundays due to injuries. But as Seattle tries to right a rushing attack that managed just one rushing touchdown from the running back position all last season, having an athlete like Prosise at its disposal would be welcome.

NOTES: LB Joshua Perry, who announced his retirement from the NFL earlier this week due to concussions, told NBC's "Today Show" on Thursday that he believes the NFL is doing enough when it comes to concussions. "I think the hardest part.is the research is a little bit fuzzy. I think that we do a great job in terms of the protocol that the NFL has. Coaches aren't pressuring players to get back, I think players feel their own type of pressure to be there for their teammates." Perry had a long post on social media earlier this week announcing he was stepping away after suffering a sixth concussion in the opening days of training camp. Perry was a fourth-round pick of the Chargers in 2016. He signed with Seattle in June.
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