While Masai Ujiri‘s new deal and promotion to vice chairman doesn’t give him a stake in the Raptors‘ ownership, sources who spoke to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca believe there may be “equity-like” elements in Ujiri’s deal, such as bonuses based on revenues or on an increased valuation of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the company that owns the Raptors.
The terms of Ujiri’s new contract with the team haven’t been announced or reported, so it’s unclear how much the Raptors’ president of basketball operations is being paid or how many years the deal covers. However, given that it has been called a “significant” multiyear deal, Grange says he’d be surprised if it’s not at least a four- or five-year agreement.
Ujiri spoke to reporters on Wednesday about his new deal with the Raptors and the team’s offseason. Here are a few of the highlights from that presser:
- Ujiri is optimistic the Raptors will be able to play in Toronto in 2021/22 after spending a season in Tampa, suggesting that there’s no real backup plan at this point. “I told (MLSE chairman) Larry (Tanenbaum) and Adam (Silver) and even Prime Minister (Justin) Trudeau that playing away set us back a couple of years,” Ujiri said, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. “We know that and we are ready for that challenge, (but) playing another year somewhere else will set us back five years. We are not trying to do that. We have no interest (in playing anywhere else). We have not looked elsewhere, we are not going to look elsewhere, we’re playing at home; we’re trying to play at home. That’s the goal for us.”
- The Raptors could have created a chunk of cap space this offseason and pursued a veteran free agent or two, but they’re instead focusing on the development of returning young players like OG Anunoby and Malachi Flynn and newcomers like Scottie Barnes and Precious Achiuwa. “I said it when I sat here eight years ago (and) I’m saying it again,” Ujiri said, according to Lewenberg. “We are going to continue to develop these players and we’re going to find a way to win a championship here based on our development of our players, and whatever comes from that, sometimes trades, sometimes you acquire (players) through free agency.”
- Ujiri added that the Raptors are willing to be patient with their young players and will give them an “opportunity to grow,” rather than trying to take a short-cut to contention, writes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. “There’s going to be super-teams, there are going to be three superstars on one team and maybe they’ll get as many as 10 one day,” Ujiri said. “We’re not taking that route, at least not for now. Our route is to grow our young players and be excited. It might not be the big three and winning now and super-teams. But in our minds, it’s a little bit super. Super young, but super hopeful.”
Sounds like a man who has a plan. If I was a raptors fan I would feel pretty safe with him on board
Sure, and I bet the Leafs fans wish he was going to overhaul operations on the hockey side.
I agree, I wish the Lakers made a run for him, instead of their current FO.
Is Ujiri the most overrated person in and around the NBA?
What’s he done?
The Kawhi trade, okay that was good.
DeRozan, Poetl and Keldon Johnson for 1 year of Kawhi and Danny Green which resulted in a Chmapionship.
Only good cause it ended in a championship, otherwise he gave up a franchise player and solid young player in Johnson for a 1 year rental.
He also helped unearth FVV who went undrafted, but more of that credit has to go to FVV himself who went from an average college player to the player he is today.
He drafted Siakim, 27th overall and like FVV most the credit has to go to the player. He went from 2 games his rookie year, 10 games his second year to averaging 19-7-3 and winning the league.
The Raptors aside from the Kawhi year have been and always will be a decent/good side but never amazing. Yet this guy has got himself from being a trash player, to a scout, to an assistant coach, to GM, to president of basketball operations, to vice chairman now. Not that I don’t think he’s good cause he clearly is but he’s not all that
No other owner stepped up when his contract expired so let’s end this mystic of greatness. I’m of the opinion he should leave as his schtick is tiring and predictable. Would also be nice to watch basketball than all his other agendas. Can someone wake up the D.C. owner.
There is zero downside to the trade they made for Kawhi and Green. Even before knowing they won, when that trade went down, it was literally the most perfect possible move they could have made. They got rid of their biggest problem, and got 2 perfect fits for their team, including a superstar capable of elevating their outcome even further around perfect fits, and got flexibility in the deal by getting rid of money taking up space…talking about Keldon Johnson magically falling all the way to 29 after the fact doesnt chance any of that, and is a really short sighted argument. For reference, I think I had Keldon Johnson going 11th to Minnesota before that draft, and I could have seen him going as high as 9. I dont know how he fell as far as he did at all
Was a great fit and he was the reason they won that year 1000%. But say he doesn’t win them the chip, they give up a franchise player a first round pick and the guy you just drafted 9th overall for a 1 year rental. Your argument is it saves them cap space and Johnson shouldn’t haven fallen that far. But since Kawhi has left (along with Ibaka, Green and Gasol) they have spent their cap space really really poorly and last year were a long way off the playoffs. So that’s exactly my point, without the championship it’s probably a poor trade.
Half their team got injured Last year…DeRozan was their biggest issue. They didnt give up much for a shot at a championship, which is good enough for me. They would have been in position to start over, if they didnt win. I agree they shouldnt have paid FVV, but that is after the fact. They’re still in really good position right now, in my opinion. They have overpaid FVV and Gary Trent, but they have less expensive, versatile, defensive assets around them to allow for those players’ skillset to be useful.
Trading Poeltl obviously also mattered, but they also had Ibaka and Hasol for another year afterward, and they also had other guys that could get minutes at the 5 developing, like Boucher, and Siakam in small lineups. They could have kept at least 1 of their bigs, if they hadnt paid FVV, which they didnt need to do after drafting what I thought would be his replacement
I would also say the trade wasnt just for Kawhi. They got Danny Green as well. 2 elite defenders on the wing, at the time, and shooting, and they got out of the iso heavy game they previously played. They also had a strong record without Kawhi that year, b/c they also got Green, so I feel like this is a poor argument. The time was right to go for it. If it fell through, then it fell through, and they had other options going forward. I’d be a hell of a lot more pissed off if the Marlins hadnt won the World Series in 2003, after they traded Adrian Gonzalez for a reliever, but they did win it, so it honestly doesnt matter
IDK what that Keldon Johnson business related to, but he was mocked about 15 to 20 not 11 or 9.
I was saying I thought he would go as high as those spots, meaning to act as though Toronto gave him up, when they didnt know he would be there at 29, is unfair. I’m not saying that b/c I thought he would go that high, means everyone did, but he was mocked potentially in the late lottery-mid first round, so enough people obviously considered him good enough to be a really big steal falling to 29th, and there was no way for Toronto to know that would end up being the pick they gave up
Of course he’s not gonna seem good to you if you don’t give him credit for the championship or his draft picks.
I give him credit for building a championship team and as I’ve said I do like him I just think he’s incredibly overrated. And look at the Raptors now, we’ll outside the playoffs, had cap space to spend and didn’t, just let the franchises best player leave in Lowry. Still haven’t addressed the centre position.
Where are they going? I can tell you it won’t be the playoffs any time soon
They have several guys that can play the 5…and while I agree they shouldnt have let Lowry go, the writing was on the wall when they overpaid FVV and traded Powell. Now they drafted a versatile defender in Scottie Barnes, to go with their other lengthy, versatile defenders, and they were still able to turn Lowry into a prospect at the 5/4, as well as someone that could not only provide the badly needed shooting they needed, but someone that could also step into that leadership role for a year, and help at the guard spots, with Goran Dragic…Meanwhile, they may be able to play some extremely interesting, versatile lineups, if they give Barnes a look at the 1 at times, which I think is possible
That’s a lot of credit for Barnes, a rookie sub who can’t shoot, and Dragic, who is tailing off, 35, and may not be motivated.
They have interesting new personnel at center and PG. I see a logjam ine the middle of the EC race. Some of their losses last year were part of a well-done minitank… Their record underrated them.
So the number 4 overall pick and Goran Dragic arent even good enough to contribute? If Dragic stays healthy, he could be a lot more useful than even I was suggesting
Funny he talks about going all the young way & not by superstars & the only good thing, if it is winning a championship such a thing, he has done in 8 years is going down the route he saying he won’t go?!?!?
Absolutely baffling, this guy is just sooo overrated & pretty useless if you ask me!
So glad I am not a TOR fan & have to put up with his old crapola!
I fear the Raptor fans are going to regret passing on Suggs before December. You win with a true PG and Suggs looks like one. Raptors do not have one and if they can’t unload Drajic he is going to take valuable minutes from someone… Aside from FVV no one can shoot on this team.