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Jesse Mermuys

Raptors Fire Nick Nurse; Magic Coach Jesse Mermuys Candidate to Replace?

Jesse Mermuys has been with the Orlando Magic since 2021 but could he return to the Toronto Raptors, his home for four seasons from 2013-16?

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Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - The NBA coaching carousel is in full swing with three current openings for the Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons and now the Toronto Raptors after Nick Nurse was fired Friday.

Nurse, 55, has been with the Raptors for 10 seasons, five as an assistant and five as a head coach. He also led the franchise to its only NBA championship in his first season at the helm in 2019.

However, a premature elimination in the Play-In Tournament at the hands of the Chicago Bulls proved that the long relationship between the two sides had run its course. Now, the Raptors are looking for a new voice.

Among the candidates to replace Nurse is former Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka, confirmed by ESPN. However, speculation could be had as to whether Orlando Magic assistant Jesse Mermuys warrants consideration.

Sportsnet analyst Blake Murphy believes Mermuys should be in the running and credits the Magic player development as a reason why.

He also has ties to the Raptors organization as an assistant under Dwane Casey from 2013-15. Then, he was hired to be the head coach and assistant general manager for the then-D-League affiliate Raptors 905 for the 2015-16 season.

Since then, Mermuys has returned to the NBA as an assistant for the Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings and the Magic, where he has been for the past two seasons under Jamahl Mosley.

Ultimately, the chances of Mermuys being the guy for this coaching cycle is slim given all of the established coaches on the market and the Raptors' current desire to be a contender. That being said, it probably won't be long until Mermuys gets a lot of consideration if the Magic continues its upward trajectory.

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