Seven years is an eternity to coach an NBA team, so when Dwane Casey had time to gather his thoughts after being fired as the Raptors' coach on Friday, it came as little surprise that his message to the city and fans was one filled with emotion and heartfelt thanks. 

"Thank you to basketball fans across this city and the country of Canada who supported the Raptors and welcomed my family with open arms during our seven years here," Casey's message began. "Thank you to all the fans who cheered us on at the Air Canada Centre while we built this program into a playoff contender, packed Jurassic Park even in the cold and rain, watched the games from home and offered their undying support as we traveled this road to relevancy together."