The Associated Press

TORONTO - Lenny Wilkens was an easy target for Toronto Raptors star Vince Carter. After Wilkens and the Raptors reached a "mutual agreement" Thursday that concluded the 65-year-old coach's tenure in Toronto, Carter took some shots at the NBA's career victory leader.

"We should look for a coach that understands the game today. To heck with the past," Carter said. "We needed to change who we were. We were going down. Look at our record."

Carter said Wilkens' laid-back style wasn't effective.

"It's unfortunate we didn't respond to that. Maybe that type of demeanor wasn't suitable for this team. He'd talk to you, he'd listen to you. I guess everybody felt he needed to do a little more than that," Carter said.

Carter also said Wilkens never got his message across.

"That was the one thing that was really missing," Carter said. "We didn't really know our role and what we were supposed to do sometimes."

Wilkens, who holds the league's career coaching records for victories (1,292) and losses (1,114), went 24-58 this season - the worst season of his 30-year career as a coach. Wilkens passed Bill Fitch for the loss mark with an April 4 setback to San Antonio.

"I feel like I've got a lot of coaching left in me. I'm going to look at some options," Wilkens said. "I still have a love of the game. I'll be involved one way or another."

Wilkens had one season left on his contract. The team said it will pay him what he's due after reaching what it called "a mutual agreement that concludes Wilkens' tenure with the team."

Because of a rash of player injuries, Wilkens never had a full roster to work with this season, his third with the team. Carter missed nearly half the season with knee and ankle injuries.

"If you can't practice because you've only got five or six that are healthy, you can't implement what you want to do," Wilkens said. "Injuries had a lot to do with it. I would have liked to have us healthy. That would have been great, but it wasn't to be."

Toronto lost its final eight games, including Wednesday night's finale in Cleveland. The Raptors' record was their worst since they went 16-66 in 1997-98.

"This season was a disappointment of the highest order for all of us associated with the Toronto Raptors," general manager Glen Grunwald said. "In discussions with Lenny about the future direction of the team, it became apparent to both of us that parting company would best serve his interests, as well as those of the organization."

Grunwald had made his feelings clear Tuesday night, after the Raptors lost to Miami in their final home game. The GM took a microphone and addressed the remaining fans, telling them: "We will not stand for this any longer."

The Raptors struggled even when Carter returned, and Grunwald wasn't happy with the physical condition of his players or their effort on defense.

"We are the 29th team in opponents' field-goal percentage. You can't be the worst team in the NBA on defense," he said.

Grunwald met with Carter and co-captain Antonio Davis this week.

Davis wasn't surprised a change was made.

"That's the nature of the beast. When things aren't going right and you have to make changes, maybe you have to change your coaching philosophy," Davis said.

Wilkens and John Wooden are the only people to enter the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and coach.

Wilkens, a nine-time All-Star, was honored in 1996 as one of the NBA's 50 greatest players. He also made the list of the league's 10 greatest coaches.

Wilkens coached Seattle to the 1979 NBA title, and also coached Portland, Cleveland and Atlanta. In 1995, he earned his 939th victory to overtake Red Auerbach for the record. A year later, he coached the U.S. team to the gold medal in the Atlanta Olympics.

In Wilkens' first season with Toronto, he led the Raptors to a franchise-best 47 regular-season wins. Last season, the Raptors won 12 of their final 14 games - without Carter - to qualify for the playoffs, then lost to Detroit in the first round.