After a disappointing season, the Toronto Raptors are looking to start anew next season. The first step towards their “rebirth” is finding a new head coach after axing Nick Nurse earlier this offseason. There are many teams being tied to Toronto, including marquee coaches like Mike Budenholzer and Ime Udoka. However, one under-the-radar coach could be an intriguing hire for the Raptors: Sacramento Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez, according to Marc Stein.

“A name to watch in Toronto’s slower-moving-than-most coaching search, says one league source, is Sacramento Kings associate head coach Jordi Fernández.”

The Kings were this season's Cinderella story. Despite not making a lot of splashy moves in free agency, the team dramatically improved in 2022. They snagged the third seed in the Western Conference, and were one game away from advancing to the second round. A lot of their success is attributed to their coaching. While the Raptors can't get the head honcho in Mike Brown, they could do well if they steal their assistant Fernandez.

Jordi Fernandez has a stellar resume that will make Raptors fans interested in him as a potential head coach. Way before his time in Sacramento, Fernandez already served as a player development under Mike Brown in Cleveland. He was part of the 2016 Cavs championship, and he worked with LeBron James during that time. After that, he served as the assistant for Michael Malone's Nuggets before landing his current gig with the Kings.

The Raptors are taking their sweet time in deciding their next coach, and it's easy to see why. Unlike the other teams looking for a new coach, Toronto is without a clear direction. Will they continue to try and fight for a playoff spot, or will they enter a rebuild? Those factor heavily into their choice for a head coach. We'll see what Toronto decides to do over the next weeks.