Report: Raptors president Masai Ujiri out after 12 years
The Toronto Raptors accomplished what many people thought would never happen in 2019 by winning the franchise’s fist NBA championship. Fast forward six years and the man who put that team together is out in Toronto.
In a stunning development, Masai Ujiri is reportedly departing the Raptors organization, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Ujiri’s 12 years with Toronto easily represents the most successful run in the franchise’s history, but Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment decided it was time to move on with one year remaining on Ujiri’s contract.
Masai Ujiri
Ujiri was respected in the NBA well before he joined the Raptors. He began his executive career in 2002 and served in various roles with the Orlando Magic, Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks. Ujiri was responsible for the blockbuster trade that sent Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks in 2011 and he won Executive of the Year in 2013.
Ujiri joined the Raptors as executive vice president and general manager in 2013 and immediately set to work building a team centred around a young Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. The team reached the playoffs every year between 2014 and 2018 with Lowry and DeRozan leading the way, but Ujiri’s biggest move was splitting the duo up.
Ujiri shipped DeRozan to San Antonio as part of a package that brought back Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. Leonard only spent one season with the Raptors, but it culminated in the franchise’s lone NBA championship in 2019.
The Raptors have undergone major chances since 2019, moving on from championship players like Lowry, OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam. Ujiri replaced those pieces with the current core of Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Brandon Ingram and there was belief he was angling to land Giannis Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee.
Why move on from Ujiri?
The timing of this move is certainly questionable. MLSE decided to part ways with Ujiri just one day after the NBA draft. Any other year, Ujiri would obviously have his fingerprints all over Toronto’s draft plans, so you have to wonder how long ago this decision was made.
But why move on now? Well, when MLSE didn’t renew the contract for Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan, the belief was they had no plans to replace him and they would essentially split his role between GM Brad Treliving and MLSE president Keith Pelley.
Moving on from Ujiri appears to be about cost-cutting and streamlining things within MLSE. Time will tell if it’s the right decision, but one thing is certain, Ujiri won’t be out of the job long.
