Darko Rajaković’s Toronto Raptors took the proverbial third-year leap this past season. The 47-year-old Serbian head coach oversaw a 46-win campaign that returned the Raptors to the playoffs for the first time in four years and rewarded them with the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference.
The breakout signaled significant progress in the franchise’s reset three years removed from the final season of the Nick Nurse era. Although Toronto was short-handed during its first-round series versus the Cleveland Cavaliers — notably missing point guard Immanuel Quickley the whole seven-game set and two-time All-Star forward Brandon Ingram for part of Game 5 and all of Games 6 and 7 — Rajaković’s resilient crew gave the Eastern Conference finals-bound Cavaliers a run for their money.
Advertisement
Toronto certainly likes what it’s seen from Rajaković, announcing Thursday that the sides have agreed to a multi-year extension.
The news arrives the same week the Raptors repeated history, once again trading for two-way standout Kawhi Leonard, just as they did in the summer of 2018. Dealing for him was the home-run swing that resulted in the franchise’s first NBA championship in 2019, with Nurse at the helm. Leonard is now 35; however, Toronto is hoping the seven-time All-Star provides a similar slingshot effect under the direction of Rajaković. The Raptors reportedly sent the Los Angeles Clippers Ingram, Gradey Dick and multiple draft picks in exchange.
Rajaković had a year left on his initial contract, although that was a team option the Raptors had already exercised, according to The Athletic.
“We’re thrilled to extend Darko as head coach of the Toronto Raptors. Darko’s strong development philosophy and commitment to a team-first culture shine through on a daily basis,” said general manager and executive vice president Bobby Webster in a statement, via The Athletic.
“We’ve seen these qualities play out on the court — our team plays hard, plays together and fights until the end. Darko knows there’s more to be done, and we’re looking forward to seeing the continued growth of this team.”
Advertisement
The Raptors extended Webster earlier this offseason while giving him the additional title of EVP. He took over as the top-ranking basketball executive in the organization when the franchise moved on from Masai Ujiri following the 2025 NBA Draft.
Ujiri, now the Dallas Mavericks‘ president, hired Rajaković to replace Nurse amid the 2023 offseason. Rajaković has earned a reputation as a player’s coach who’s galvanized his squad. But after 25- and 30-win seasons, he showed he can orchestrate more than just team chemistry in Toronto this past go-round.
