Masai Ujiri Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Raptors Rumors: Ujiri, DeRozan, Tucker, Ibaka

May 8th, 2017 at 9:16pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The easiest way for Raptors GM Masai Ujiri to make a significant change is to fire coach Dwane Casey, Ben Golliver of Sports Illustrated opines. Ujiri is in a position to rebuild the roster in the wake of the Cavaliers’ playoff sweep but his track record suggests he won’t take that approach, Golliver continues. In a best-case scenario, Ujiri will trade underperforming forward DeMarre Carroll and guard Cory Joseph while retaining his best perimeter defender, unrestricted free agent P.J. Tucker, Golliver adds.

In other developments regarding the Raptors:

With point guard Kyle Lowry and forwards Serge Ibaka and Patrick Patterson also heading into unrestricted free agency this summer, the club faces an uncertain future, as Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun details.
Backcourt partner DeMar DeRozan throws his full support behind Lowry and his decision to opt out, Michael Grange of Rogers Sportsnet tweets. “I don’t want to hinder him or make anything more hectic than it’s going to be,” DeRozan told Grange.
DeRozan wants the team to acquire more shooters to complement his talents, Wolstat tweets.
Tucker will wait to see if Lowry remains with the club before he decides whether to return, Wolstat reports in another tweet. Tucker wants to play for a contender, Wolstat adds. Ibaka’s decision will be influenced by his daughter, he told Wolstat (Twitter link).
Casey says it “would be difficult” for the team to advance deeper in future playoffs without re-signing Lowry, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets.

Raptors Notes: Offseason Options, Rebuild

May 7th, 2017 at 10:03pm CST by Austin Kent

After suffering a humbling sweep at the hands of the reigning champion Cavaliers, the Raptors are in limbo heading into the offseason, Zach Lowe of ESPN writes. In front of them are several options ranging from full on teardown to attempted recovery.

One of the options Lowe lays out is letting Kyle Lowry sign elsewhere lest the Raptors get bogged down in a five-year, $200MM contract. If that happens, Lowe posits that there isn’t much point bringing Serge Ibaka back either.

Ultimately, he continues, it would only make sense to trade DeMar DeRozan as well and fully embrace a tank.

That said, the scribe notes that the franchise could choose to bite the bullet and sign Lowry to a lofty five-year deal and then let Ibaka walk with the intention of replacing him with cheaper, shorter term players.

At the end of the day, Lowe argues that retaining the current core in its entirety would put the club well over the luxury tax threshold, the only problem being that their on-court performance doesn’t necessarily warrant it.

Regardless of the path team president Masai Ujiri chooses to pursue, he’s built up enough goodwill and ownership trust to see it through.

There’s more from the Raptors:

In the same piece, Lowe wonders if making a coaching change and letting Dwane Casey go could help “unstick” Toronto’s notoriously disappointing postseason offense.
Amid talk of an uncertain summer, DeRozan said that tearing everything down would be difficult. “It’s hard to break down a team that won 50-plus games two years in a row,” he told the media, including Josh Lewenberg of TSN.
The Raptors were headed toward a full on rebuild before a late-season surge following the trade that sent Rudy Gay to the Kings in 2014 boosted them into Eastern Conference contention, Scott Stinson writes for the National Post.

Atlantic Notes: Lowry, Tucker, Long

March 30th, 2017 at 5:16pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Kyle Lowry, who’s been sidelined since the All-Star break because of a wrist injury, can become a free agent at the season. Raptors GM Masai Ujiri said there’s “no question” that the team will try to bring him back, as Scott Stinson of The National Post passes along.

“You have to remember that, everything that has happened to this team in the last few years, Kyle has been at the forefront of that,” Ujiri tells Stinson.

Lowry was having an exceptional year heading into the All-Star break. “Before the injury, you could argue he was one of the top five players in the league this season,” the GM added.

It’s also arguable that out of all the teams to see a player go down due to injury, the Raptors suffered the biggest loss with Lowry being sidelined. The 31-year-old was the team’s leader in player efficiency and he was one of the best from behind the arc, which I detailed in an early season edition of Fantasy Hoops.

Lowry can become a free agent this offseason by activating the Early Termination option in his contract. All signs point to him doing just that, which means he would turn down his 2017/18 $12MM salary. Stinson believes it’s fair to wonder whether the team should offer a massive five-year deal to a player who will be 36-year-olds at the end of it. However, the scribe believes it’s a bigger gamble to try to replace Lowry, a player who’s Toronto unquestioned leader.

“The way he goes,” Uriji said about Lowry. “Is the way we go.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Holly MacKenzie of NBA.com examines how P.J. Tucker has helped the Raptors stay afloat in the Eastern Conference. Tucker, who came to Toronto at this year’s deadline, will be a free agent at the season.
Shawn Long, who recently signed a three-year deal with the Sixers, was originally added to provide Philadelphia with depth, but by playing hard, he’s been able to carve out a role with the team, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Long started the season in the D-League, but his teammates believe he belongs in the NBA. “He’s an NBA player, man,” Gerald Henderson said. “He’s aggressive. He’s not scared. He goes out there and plays the same way he did in the D-League.”
Jerryd Bayless will workout at the Sixers‘ new practice facility this summer rather than going home to Phoenix as he has done in the past, Pompey relays via Twitter. Bayless signed a three-year deal worth $27MM last offseason, but he suffered a wrist injury earlier this season, which limited him to just three games with his new team.

Hoops Links: Lowry, Embiid, Antetokounmpo, Porzingis, Nicholson

February 19th, 2017 at 4:24pm CST by Milo Taibi

On Sundays, we link to some of the very best work from around the basketball blogosphere. Do you have a link to a great basketball blog post – either your own or someone else’s – that you want to see featured on Hoops Rumors? Send it to us at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s rundown:

Brian Boake of Raptors Rapture wonders if Toronto GM Masai Ujiri will retain Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka at the end of the season.
John Jarosik of The Hardwood Nation argues that despite their 19-39 record, this season should not be viewed as a disappointment for the Lakers.
Kwame Fisher-Jones of The 76er Files states the case against Bryan Colangelo offering Joel Embiid a max extension, citing the big man’s injury history.
Mark Suleymanov of Inquisitir Sports conducted a one-on-one with Metta World Peace.
Kaiser Linderman of Deep(ish) Thoughts took an analytical look at T.J. McConnell‘s success.
Adam Paris of Brew Hoop answered the question we’ve all been asking: can Giannis Antetokounmpo fly?
Kristaps Porzingis gave Knicks fans a reason to cheer, Mike Cortez of Hardwood and Hollywood writes.
Francis Adu of Ridiculous Upside detailed Alfonzo McKinnie’s ascension toward becoming an elite D-Leaguer.
Bradley Beal was more deserving of Kevin Love‘s All-Star spot than Carmelo Anthony, Christopher Church of The Baltimore Wire argued.
Fim Oshin of Bullets Forever outlined four ways the Wizards may be able to move Andrew Nicholson at the trade deadline.

Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Noel, Simmons

January 11th, 2017 at 5:25pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Raptors have the assets to pull off a substantial trade, but Nick Faris of the National Post wonders if GM Masai Ujiri is willing to sacrifice the long-term view in order to go all-in this season. The team has two first-round picks in the upcoming draft and it has tremendous depth, which could allow it to give up multiple pieces in exchange for a high-quality player. Faris believes Paul Millsap, who was told by the Hawks that he wasn’t going to be traded, would be an excellent addition should Atlanta change its stance.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

During free agency. the Raptors promised Jared Sullinger their starting power forward spot and once the big man is healthy enough to play, he’ll take that role, Josh Lewenberg of TSN writes. Sullinger had more lucrative offers on the table but decided to join Toronto because of that promise, Lewenberg notes. There is still no timetable for his return to the court.
Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link) hears that Nerlens Noel would still like to change teams in the offseason, barring a maximum salary offer from the Sixers. Noel will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
There remains no official timeline for Ben Simmons to return to the Sixers‘ lineup, but he continues to make progress, as Dane Carbaugh of NBC Sports relays. Simmons played point guard during practice in five-one-zero drills and coach Brett Brown has previously said that he intends to play the rookie at that position.

And-Ones: Roberson, Babcock, Ujiri

September 16th, 2016 at 8:21pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Raptors executive Masai Ujiri noted that the decision to sign a multiyear extension with the team this offseason was an easy one, given his love for the city of Toronto, Lauren La Rose of The Toronto Star writes. “I love it here. I really do. Toronto is home for me,” Ujiri said. “We don’t go to another home in the States or somewhere else. This is our home. And I love the organization, I think they’ve treated me well. They’ve given it their all. It’s humbling for me for them to come to me and say: ‘Hey, let’s do this.’ And then the city, the fans, everybody — what else can you ask for?”

Here’s more from around the league:

With the offseason addition of guard Victor Oladipo, Andre Roberson, who is a natural shooting guard, will likely see extended time at small forward for the Thunder this season, Erik Horne of The Oklahoman writes. The potential shift doesn’t trouble Roberson because coach Billy Donovan’s offensive scheme, Horne adds. “With our offense, the way we want to run it, it doesn’t really matter what position you’re in,” Roberson said. “We all kinda work together, jell together and have the offense cutting, moving and just sharing the ball more. It’s definitely going to be a fun year and more ball-oriented stuff, so it should be fun.”
Former Raptors and Wolves executive Rob Babcock is currently doing some consulting work to pass the time, with the former executive hoping to land another NBA post in the future, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets. Minnesota fired Babcock, who was the team’s Vice President of Basketball Operations, back in May.
Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who is from North Carolina, has mixed emotions regarding all the events that have pulled from the state due to a controversial bill that many say will lead to discrimination for LGBT people, The Associated Press relays. “I think it’s unfortunate for our city and our state to be under the microscope with HB2 and how it’s unfolded,” Curry said. “I’m all for equal and fair rights and treatment for everybody. Until it gets addressed, until some changes are made, this could be a recurring theme in North Carolina. I don’t want that happen.“

Raptors Sign Masai Ujiri To Extension

September 2nd, 2016 at 2:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors have locked up their team president and their primary basketball decision-maker for a few more years, the team announced today in a press release. Masai Ujiri, who had two years remaining on his previous contract, has signed a multiyear extension with Toronto, according to the announcement.

In addition to Ujiri’s extension, the Raptors also confirmed a couple other pieces of front-office news, announcing that Jeff Weltman has been promoted to general manager, while Bobby Webster will get a new title of assistant GM/VP basketball strategy.

“I am grateful to the Board and Mr. [Larry] Tanenbaum for the opportunity to continue our progress to build the Raptors into one of the top franchises in the NBA,” Ujiri said in a statement. “I’m also excited that Jeff and Bobby are being rewarded for their hard work and valuable contributions to our program. My family thanks the NBA, Raptors players and coaches, staff, Raptors fans, the city of Toronto and Canada for this opportunity. Toronto is home for us.”

Ujiri, who was named the Raptors’ president and general manager back on May 31, 2013, has helped lead the franchise to three consecutive playoff berths, and has overseen the best stretch in franchise history. After failing to top 47 wins in their first 18 years of existence, the Raptors have established a new high in wins in a season for three straight years — the team won 48 games in 2013/14, 49 in 2014/15, and 56 last season. Toronto also earned a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals this past season, after having never previously won a seven-game playoff series.

Under Ujiri’s watch, the Raptors have turned into a contender in the East while also continuing to develop young talent. Bruno Caboclo, Lucas Nogueira, Delon Wright, Jakob Poeltl, and Pascal Siakam are all currently on rookie contracts. Toronto has also retained draftees such as DeMar DeRozan, Jonas Valanciunas, and Terrence Ross with long-term deals, while adding players like DeMarre Carroll and Cory Joseph in free agency.

An ESPN report last month first indicated that the Raptors and Ujiri were discussing an extension.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Raptors, Masai Ujiri Talk Contract Extension

August 11th, 2016 at 7:06pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Raptors and team executive Masai Ujiri are engaged in advanced discussions regarding a contract extension, Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com report. The two sides are nearing a deal, according to the duo’s sources, though the length and terms of the proposed extension are unknown at this time.

Ujiri still has nearly two years remaining on his current pact, a five-year, $15MM arrangement that he inked back in May of 2013. The 46-year-old had won the NBA Executive of the Year Award the prior season for his work with the Nuggets, with Denver having notched an impressive 57 wins that campaign. He has since built Toronto into an Eastern Conference power, with the team reaching the Conference Finals this past season.

Under Ujiri’s watch, Toronto has an overall regular season record of 153-93, plus, three consecutive playoff berths.

Raptors Notes: Casey, DeRozan, Lowry, Biyombo

May 1st, 2016 at 1:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Raptors may be looking at a complete overhaul if they lose tonight’s Game 7 against the Pacers, writes Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun. GM Masai Ujiri gave coach Dwane Casey a vote of confidence before the playoffs began, but Wolstat expects a coaching change if the Raptors don’t win this series. A loss could also affect the team’s desire to give max money to shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, who will become a free agent in July. The two-time All-Star has seen his production drop in the playoffs, and Wolstat says many in the organization are losing faith that he will ever become an effective postseason player. “You don’t really get caught up with what everybody’s saying, what everybody’s writing, what people who probably never played basketball in their life have got to say about it, other people’s opinions,” DeRozan said. “You just go home, whether you hang with your family, watch the film and just get ready for tomorrow.” A loss may also affect the future of point guard Kyle Lowry, who can opt out after next season and will be seeking a max deal at age 31. Center Bismack Biyombo will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and the Raptors may have to move some salary if they want to keep him. That could mean not re-signing DeRozan or trading backup swingman Terrence Ross.

There’s more pregame news out of Toronto:

If Casey does get fired, he has done enough with the Raptors to land another head coaching job, Wolstat tweets. Casey has a 210-184 regular season record in five seasons with Toronto but has never won a playoff series.
The Raptors are pleased with the development of rookie shooting guard Norman Powell, but that won’t affect their decision on DeRozan, according to Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. Powell, a second-round pick whom Toronto acquired from the Bucks on draft night, spent much of the season in the D-League but averaged 5.6 points per night in 49 games with the Raptors.
Casey acknowledges the “heavy burden of history” hanging over the Raptors as they enter Game 7, relays Gregg Doyel of The Indianapolis Star. Toronto, which claimed the second seed in the East with a 56-26 regular season record, is coming off playoff disappointments against the Nets and Wizards the past two seasons. “It means everything for us to advance,” DeRozan said. “The season would be a failure if we don’t make it out of this first round.”

Atlantic Notes: Prokhorov, Crowder, Casey

April 14th, 2016 at 11:58am CST by Chuck Myron

Russian law enforcement and tax officials are searching the Moscow offices of Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov’s company, ONEXIM, reports Yuliya Fedorinova of Bloomberg.com. It’s not entirely clear why the search is taking place, though the Russian wire service Interfax reports the search has to do with offshore investment and tax payments and is part of a criminal proceeding, according to NetsDaily (Twitter link). Prokhorov ran against Russian president Vladimir Putin in 2012, and Putin is applying political pressure on offshore investors, as Fedorinova details. The ONEXIM under investigation isn’t the same as the holding company that controls the Nets, as NetsDaily points out.

While we wait to find out the implications of the Brooklyn-related news, see more from the Atlantic Division:

The Magic insisted that the Celtics include Jae Crowder in a would-be deal when the sides discussed potential Tobias Harris trades before the deadline, and Orlando’s insistence on Crowder stopped the talks from going further, a league source told A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. Crowder isn’t untouchable, but he’s close, a league executive whose team negotiated with the Celtics told Blakely.
The Raptors have yet to pick up the team option on their contract with coach Dwane Casey for next season, but GM Masai Ujiri strongly signaled Wednesday that the team will, as expected, observes Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun (Twitter link). “He’s been phenomenal I think, whether it’s reading games or adjustments, or just growth overall as a coach,” Ujiri said. “To be honest, everyone makes such a big deal like ‘OK, if we don’t make it past the first round, what will happen to Casey?’ Well Coach Casey deserves to be our coach, that’s 100% and I stand by that. He deserves to be our coach in the future because he has put in the work I think to bring winning to our program. The players have responded well I think, and it has translated a little bit and we hope it translates to the playoffs and I’m very hopeful it will because he’s a defensive minded coach but he’s been tremendous for us.”
Owner James Dolan still trusts team president Phil Jackson and his triangle offense, sources tell Marc Berman of the New York Post, and it’s doubtful Jackson will opt out of his deal after next season, as he hopes to serve out his contract, which runs until March 2019, Berman writes. Some around the league think Dolan wants Jackson to think about deferring to GM Steve Mills for the decision on the team’s next head coach if the Zen Master does intend to opt out, and if that’s the case, Mark Jackson, Scott Brooks and Randy Wittman, along with David Blatt, would be candidates, according to Berman.