Jama Mahlalela could follow Dwane Casey to Detroit as assistant coach

Dwane Casey has yet to announce any additions to his coaching staff, but one person with a chance to join him from his Toronto Raptors days is Jama Mahlalela.

Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports reports of all the Raptors’ assistants Mahlalela is the most likely because the two spent seven years together in Toronto. That tweet predates the Raptors promoting Nick Nurse to head coach as a Casey replacement so maybe Mahlalela stays in Toronto to keep the band together.

Casey already lost out on his top two assistants — Nurse (the offensive coordinator on the Raptors) is now Toronto’s head coach, and apparently Casey and Nurse were not on good terms near the end of their tenure together. Rex Kalamian (the defensive coordinator) moved on to join Doc Rivers with the Los Angeles Clippers. Mahlalela is the most senior assistant remaining.

Michael Grange of Rogers Sportsnet reports Mahlalela could also replace Jerry Stackhouse as head coach of the Raptors 905. Stackhouse left that post after not getting the Raptors top job. He is now an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Mahlalela is currently assistant coach and player development coordinator, and is in charge of many aspects of player development and training for Raptors players. He has spent his entire career working in player and community development in one aspect or another, including a stint with NBA Asia.