Sam Mitchell Fired in Toronto

Job security does not seem to go along with coaching in the NBA. Sam Mitchell has been fired as the coach of the Toronto Raptors. He becomes the third head coach to be fired in this young NBA season. P.J. Carlesimo was fired as coach of the Oklahoma City franchise. And Eddie Jordan lost his job in Washington.

“After his Toronto Raptors were drilled in Denver, 132-83 Tuesday night, Sam Mitchell could not have been surprised at what transpired Wednesday. The 2006-07 NBA Coach of the Year became the league’s third coaching casualty of the young season, fired with his team under .500 and underachieving, in the view of team president Bryan Colangelo. Colangelo named assistant Jay Triano interim head coach.”

link: Analysis: Mitchell firing not a surprise

The Raptors have a record of eight wins and nine losses for this season. It compares to the forty one games won and forty one games losses for the previous season. The difference may be that the Raptors had opportunities to improve their record. There were games that the defensive effort was questionable. And if the millionaires who play the game do not put forth sufficient effort, the coach is fired. Sam Mitchell is gone and the Raptors will continue with an interim coach for the rest of the season. As the season continues and the team success is measured in wins and losses, a few more coaches will be looking for employment. The axiom is that coaches are ‘hired to be fired’ and there seems to be a very low tolerance for failure in the NBA.

Catherine Forsythe