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After Masai's presser yesterday, much was said about his contractual situation and obligation.

He is close to sealing the deal with Bobby, got Nurse a huge contract, and has our franchise in a very flexible state. Can't laud him enough for the great management job he has done.

But none of this indicates, whatsoever, that Masai will re-sign.

It's not as if a top tier caliber president like Ujiri, would stop working hard, due to his lame duck contractual status. Nor is re-signing a lot of the top tier guys in the organization, an indication that Masai will re-sign as the Raptors president. He's just doing his job.

The latest presser had Ujiri claiming that his priority is on the team, not his contractual situation;

“There’s just been so much [going on],” he said. “Honestly, it’s not a matter of not doing it, I think there’s just been so much [and] I’ve pushed it [back] until, I think, we get through a lot of this. There’s just so much going on with this relocation, and the focus, I don’t want to be distracted that way.”

To me, it looks like Ujiri wants to push his contract negotiation to the final minute, perhaps because he has other plans OR, he wants leverage. The organization and ownership had PLENTY of time , before any of the complications COVID brought, to offer Masai an exstention.

All indication shows they have tried to re-sign Masai as well. From Grange's article earlier;

“I can promise you, it’s not [MLSE]. They’d have to be nuts not to [want to sign him]. It’s not like there’s a Plan A and a Plan B. There’s only Plan A, and it’s him," a source told Sportsnet.

Ujiri said on Saturday that he's extended the contracts of his leadership team, except for Bobby Webster. Ujiri added that Webster is close to an extension agreement.

The lack of urgency the Raptors showed in offering Ujiri an extension after the Raptors' title has reportedly justified Ujiri keeping his options opened.

We can look no further to Darryl Morey, and his lack of commitment, as a clear indication that transparency of intention, is not a reality, at least in the NBA.

Moreover, it was super weird that once we won the NBA championship, WOJ (that POS), tweeted out this;



Like many of you, I initially thought that Woj was acting like the scumbag he is, taking the opportunity to rain on our (just won) championship parade.

But then things got VERY weird, when Masai ended up on Woj's Podcast, right before the bubble;

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/toronto-president-masai-ujiri/id1470466331?i=1000478481148

Guys like Woj don't report rumors without consulting higher up GM's. They know not to step on toes. It looks like Masai gave him the blessings to tweet some of the contractual stuff, (Woj has reported the Knicks interest as well as the Wizards).

Major media outlets are now asking the question of what will Masai do next. From Canadian media to NBC sports, speculating that Masai could be "biggest free agent next summer?".

https://nba.nbcsports.com/2020/12/06/could-masai-ujiri-be-the-biggest-free-agent-next-summer/

All in all, there are some big red flags coming out of the contractual situation with MLSE and Masai.

No reason for MU to sign before the deadline. You always wait to see what may happen. It's like early-voting. You should always wait to see if your candidate goes senile before the election. Wait for all information and contingencies.

Which GM In NBA history that is so loved by its team and city has ever willingly switched teams to manage. If it happens it would be the most Raptor thing to happen. “Not only can toronto not keep their star players, but also their President who had been given the keys to the entire organization.” So tired of never feeling 100% stable on any level. Unlike Miami or San Antonio who never had to hear about their beloved management looking elsewhere. I get that it’s more than basketball for Masai and I love the guy, but we are a world class mother*%^+ city, not a small town like Greenbay, why do we struggle in this department. Damn

WOj is slime. How do you think he gets the info leaks anyways? Sellout.

Masai has all the leverage here. Raptors have almost nothing. Now this leverage might lead him out of town but its something someone in his position benefits from doing.

DAcReator wrote:Which GM In NBA history that is so loved by its team and city has ever willingly switched teams to manage. If it happens it would be the most Raptor thing to happen. “Not only can toronto not keep their star players, but also their President who had been given the keys to the entire organization.” So tired of never feeling 100% stable on any level. Unlike Miami or San Antonio who never had to hear about their beloved management looking elsewhere. I get that it’s more than basketball for Masai and I love the guy, but we are a world class mother*%^+ city, not a small town like Greenbay, why do we struggle in this department. Damn

Btw I love bobby and the rest of our staff so I Masai leaving is not a end all situation and we can continue to thrive, but it just sucks to hear this all the time

Morey was different. He had a scumbag owner

To re-sign or to resign, that is the question.

Will I be surprised if Masai isn't the Raps President in 2022? Nah, he did his job and can do what he wants.

Will I be surprised if Masai IS the Raps president in 2022? Not a tall. Even less so than the above.

The latter is certainly more likely, but both are plausible enough that there's no reason to be surprised either way.

Nothing here... move along ...

Krikey, change your damn underwear.

Makes sense to wait. Does MLSE still have a George Cope-Leiwieke culture or are they headed back to the Teacher's Pension Plan? Maybe Masai is looking to be CEO of MLSE and take Friisdahl's job. Install Bobby into the top Raptor job.

SharoneWright wrote:No reason for MU to sign before the deadline. You always wait to see what may happen. It's like early-voting. You should always wait to see if your candidate goes senile before the election. Wait for all information and contingencies.

Stop acting so insecure. This isn't worth talking about until it actually happens if it does at all.

It is like being in a relationship and always worrying that your girl or whatever is going to leave you for someone hotter because you don't think you deserve her or him.

Not gonna lie, I’ll be really nervous if he doesn’t extend his contract during the next 3-4 weeks.

Washington/ny have moved on.
i'm not sure Washington is in a better position vs 2 years ago, so they might be intested again, but the team imo is in a worse postion.

looking around there aren't many big situations for him to decamp to.

Orlando, detroit, atlanta, cleveland, milwakee the likes are those of interest to him?
atlanta is conceivable and so is Milwaukee if giannis resigns there.

Nobody including Woj have good Raptors sources. That's why the Raps were like the only team who didn't have their draft pick spoiled before Adam Silver called it out.

I am looking at the league and I just don't know where he would go.

If he leaves I find it hard to believe he sticks around in basketball

If Masai leaves, I’ll implement my “I’ll believe it when I see it” philosophy to our team building. Masai always made me feel like each thing he did was part of a bigger plan. I don’t have the same faith in Bobby.

It is kinda odd that he still has yet to say he wants to stay..he's kinda dancing around the topic...the contract doesn't have to be close to being done but he could say something to reassure us a little