Smitch sarà il prossimo allenatore dei Raptors

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Mitchell looks to be staying put

MICHAEL GRANGE

Globe and Mail Update

It sounds like Sam Mitchell will be back as head coach of the Toronto Raptors next season.

The reigning National Basketball Association coach of the year made his most definitive statement yet about his future while he was a guest on ESPN before the playoff match-up between the Chicago Bulls and the Detroit Pistons Thursday night.

"I expect to be back in Toronto; it's a great fit for me," Mitchell said. "I know the players, Bryan Colangelo and I work well together, we understand each other. Right now we're in the process of negotiating a deal and hopefully we'll have something for next week."

According to NBA sources, talks between Raptors president Colangelo and Mitchell's agent Lonnie Cooper have been progressing well this week.
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The Globe and Mail

It's believed Mitchell and his representatives have the framework of a deal, including salary and length of term.

"Things are trending positively," one source close to both parties said.

Colangelo was aware of Mitchell's guest appearance on the U.S. sports cable giant, although he didn't see it.

"It's been my intention all along to try and keep Sam and things are going well," he said when told of Mitchell's comments.

Cooper and Mitchell did not return calls.

Mitchell's optimism justified the growing consensus in the league that a deal between Mitchell and the Raptors is only a matter of time.

"I would say Sam will be back in Toronto, when all is said and done," said Warren Legarie, who represents more than a dozen current and potential NBA head coaches, including Raptors assistant coach Alex English.

"He's had success there, he's found the right support team around him so there's no reason why it wouldn't continue." While the principals in the Mitchell negotiations have all resisted commenting publicly on the coach's future in Toronto, Legarie has been following the situation closely.

In addition to representing English, he knows Colangelo well since he represents Phoenix Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni and the Suns' two lead assistants — Mark Iavaroni and Alvin Gentry.

Legarie added he anticipates English will remain with the Raptors, putting his head coaching ambitions on hold for another season. Mitchell has already said that, if he returns, he expects to bring back his coaching staff, including English, Jay Triano and Jim Todd.

If negotiations break down between Mitchell and the Raptors, Legarie said, it would be wrong to assume Iavaroni would be the automatic next choice, even though he's long been linked to the Raptors job if it were to open up.

"It's an easy suggestion because of the time they [Iavaroni and Colangelo] spent together [in Phoenix] and the success the Suns have had, but perception is different than reality," Legarie said. "A lot of it is speculative and there's really not much substance to it."

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