Casey wants Griffin to expand game the way DeRozan did

Exactly one month after being fired by the Toronto Raptors, Dwane Casey has landed on his feet, 235 miles southwest with the Detroit Pistons.

Casey was officially announced as Detroit's new head coach Monday, and the veteran NBA bench boss said he already has plans for his new roster, particularly Blake Griffin.

"We're going to empower (Griffin) to expand his game, a lot like DeMar DeRozan in Toronto," Casey told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, per Adrian Wojnarowski. "Expand his game out to the 3-point line, have some point-forward responsibilities with the basketball out on the floor bringing it down. Because he's more than just a back-down, post-up player."

Casey coached DeRozan for seven years in Toronto, although it wasn't until this past season that the swingman and noted gym rat began feeling more comfortable behind the arc. DeRozan took a career-high 3.6 3-point attempts per game in 2017-18, albeit with a below-average 31.2 percent success rate.

For Griffin, the power forward has seen his perimeter volume tick up in recent years, although this could be a possible byproduct of contemporary NBA trends. Griffin has always been an able facilitator as a big, averaging 5.2 assists over his last four seasons.

Beyond basketball, Casey is excited at the prospect of working in the Detroit community, as the city tries to work its way back from economic distress and nearby Flint continues to deal with a tainted water crisis.

"It's a little bit more than just coaching basketball," Casey said. "That appealed to me also and to my family. Doing a lot of stuff in the community, rebuilding downtown, helping out Flint in their water situation."