Casey: Raptors not at Cavs' level, but 'we're gonna be'

The Toronto Raptors ended their historic 2015-16 season in somewhat disappointing fashion Friday night, getting rolled by 26 points in Game 6 of the East finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The team has no reason to hang its head, though, after setting new franchise benchmarks with 56 regular-season wins and two playoff series victories. There's an uncertain summer ahead, with DeMar DeRozan and Bismack Biyombo both headed for free agency, but the Raptors also have the ninth overall pick in the draft and a talented core that should continue to improve. The future looks bright.

Coach Dwane Casey acknowledged as much in his postgame press conference.

"We're learning. We're not where they are right now," he told reporters, referring to the Cavs team that's on its way to the Finals for a second straight year. "We're gonna be."

The Raptors have increased their win total every season since Casey took over as coach five years ago. He's the winningest coach in franchise history, and has now presided over their three most successful regular seasons, in succession. But Casey knows building on a season as successful as the one the Raptors just wrapped will be his most difficult task to date.

"I really think we're a step ahead of the process," he said. "We still have a ways to go ... That next step is the biggest one we have to take."

Casey has a year left on his contract, but it's a team option.