- Masai Ujiri left Denver for the Toronto Raptors in May 2013, after winning NBA Executive of the Year.
- Ujiri put together the Toronto roster that won the 2019 NBA championship, including a big trade with San Antonio for Kawhi Leonard.
- On Friday, June 27, Ujiri and the Raptors have parted ways with Ujiri entering the last year of his contract.
Masai Ujiri has earned a reputation as one of the best executives in the NBA, even winning the Executive of the Year award in 2013 with Denver. He then moved to Toronto, helping the Raptors to their first NBA title in 2019.
But the franchise is headed in a new direction. On the morning of Friday, June 27, it was announced that Ujiri and the Raptors have parted ways.
Ujiri Exits One Day After Draft, and Just Ahead of Free Agency
The news was broken by ESPN’s Shams Charania on Friday morning.
It seems like strange timing for the move as the NBA Draft just ended on Thursday, and free agency starts on June 30. It’s a massive shift for the Raptors as Ujiri has been behind all of their recent moves, including the acquisition of Brandon Ingram and subsequent extension worth $120 million over three years. Ujiri’s relationship with Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo is the main reason that the Raptors were even mentioned if the Bucks’ star requested a trade, which he hasn’t.
Ujiri was also in the draft room that selected South Carolina’s Collin Murray-Boyles with the ninth pick, and Florida’s Alijah Martin with the 39th pick. But the day after the Martin pick, Ujiri is out, ending a legendary 12-year period with the Raptors. Toronto made the playoffs in eight of 12 seasons with Ujiri calling the shots, although they’ve missed the postseason in four of the last five seasons.
The crowning glory came in 2019, when Ujiri orchestrated a trade with San Antonio for Kawhi Leonard in June 2018. Going into it, all sides knew it was a one-season rental as Leonard would eventually wind up with the Los Angeles Clippers.
But Leonard was incredible in leading the Raptors to the NBA title with a six-game win over Golden State. It is the biggest moment in the history of the franchise, and the Leonard shot will live on in Toronto lore.
What Next for Ujiri and the Raptors?
Ujiri was in the last year of his contract, so that may have been a reason for the parting of ways between the two sides. There are no details about Ujiri getting another job somewhere else, as this news seemingly came out of nowhere.
The move probably won’t change the Raptors’ NBA championship odds for next season, not until they replace Ujiri. The Raptors are +15000 at some NBA betting sites right now, so there aren’t high hopes for them anyway.
The larger issue is the team heading into free agency without a president. Bobby Webster has been the Toronto general manager since June 2017, and he’ll likely take over the reins for now. He might even be promoted to Ujiri’s position soon. But this is a massive shakeup for the Raptors with free agency right around the corner!
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