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TSN Raptors Reporter

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TORONTO - Change was inevitable after the Raptors' disappointing exit from the postseason and this is only just the beginning.

With Dwane Casey sticking around at the helm of Toronto's coaching staff for his fifth campaign, the team parted ways with two of his four primary assistants on Monday, relieving Bill Bayno and Tom Sterner of their duties, according to multiple reports.

The decision came as a result of general manager Masai Ujiri's ongoing evaluation of his club and was believed to be made in accordance with Casey, coming as no surprise to those within the organization.

It is the second time in three summers that Ujiri has made significant alternations to Casey's staff. Members of the previous regime - Johnny Davis (lead assistant and close friend of Casey's), Scott Roth and Eric Hughes - were either not retained or found other employment in 2013, shortly after Ujiri took his post atop Toronto's front office.

Sterner, the lone holdover from Casey's original staff, stayed on at the time, while Bayno was brought in to help tutor the team's young players, namely Jonas Valanciunas, who he worked with extensively during his two-year tenure.

Bayno's firing, first reported by CBS Sports, was not an indictment of his work with Valanciunas or the 23-year-old centre's development under his watch, a source told TSN.ca. Like Sterner, known for his captivating sideline interviews, Bayno was highly regarded for his energy, innovative techniques and passion for coaching. It was not personal, rather a decision made with the intention of taking the team's leadership base in a different direction.

Ujiri has looked to add a former NBA player to the coaching staff in recent years and is expected to make that a priority again this summer, while also targeting an experienced lead assistant that can immediately step in as Casey's right hand.

Credited for his contributions to their offensive improvement - the Raptors ranked third in offensive efficiency this season - Nick Nurse remains on staff along with Jesse Mermuys, who is slated to coach Toronto's Summer League entry in Las Vegas this coming July.

While this is the first step in reshaping a team that went 13-16 after the All-Star break and was swept out of the playoffs, it won't be the last.

The Raptors' next order of business is preparing for the June 25th draft, where they'll select 20th overall for the second straight year. July should be a busy month for Ujiri and his front office as they are free to address the roster for the first time this summer. Teams are permitted to negotiate with free agents beginning July 1 and can make signings and trades official once the moratorium period ends on July 9.

That should be a telling time for this franchise. In which direction will Ujiri take them and what change comes next?