TheAlchemist wrote:Imagine this: your team just won the championship. The core is strong, the system works, and you can realistically contend for another title—or two.
Then your franchise superstar walks.
Now what?
Option 1: Replace the talent. Bring in someone who can shoulder 60–70% of that superstar’s load. Package depth, use draft picks, clear cap—do what contenders do.
Option 2: Recognize the mountain’s too steep without a lead alpha. Sell high, flip veterans for assets, and start a proper rebuild.
Option 3: Stay the course. Re-sign key players, keep the culture intact, and see how far the team can go.
Option 4: Do absolutely nothing. Let free agents walk. Don't trade. Don’t rebuild. Don’t contend. Just… stall.
Masai Ujiri chose Option 4.
Kawhi left—we get it. But the decisions (or indecisions) that followed? That’s where it gets baffling.
No move for a Kawhi-lite replacement like Jimmy Butler. No aggressive retool. No full teardown.
Instead:
- Marc Gasol: Walked for nothing. The cost? Jonas Valanciunas and picks.
- Serge Ibaka: Left to join Kawhi. Again—no effort to re-sign, no trade, no return.
- Kyle Lowry: Philly reportedly offered Tyrese Maxey. Masai declined, and settled for Precious Achiuwa and Goran Dragic in a quiet sign-and-trade.
- Norman Powell: Wanted to retire a Raptor. Traded for Gary Trent Jr. (who had been trash).
- OG Anunoby: Passed on a reported trade from Portland—Shaedon Sharpe and the #7 pick. Later dealt OG for RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley—good players, but not Sharpe-level upside.
- Pascal Siakam: Traded for filler and late firsts. Picks in the 20s don’t replace an All-NBA forward.
- Scottie Barnes: Chose not to move him in a package for Kevin Durant, even with a win-now core of Siakam, OG, and FVV. That team could’ve been a legitimate Finals threat.
He didn’t commit to contending. He didn’t commit to rebuilding. He hovered. He hesitated. He waited—too long.
And yet, Raptors fans still defend him like he’s infallible.
Look back. Connect the dots. This wasn’t patience—it was paralysis. And yes, Siakam trade was completely lopsided.
This reads as a deeply biased take. The difference between options 3 & 4 that you listed is a matter of personal interpretation. I see it as option 3, it just didn't pan out.
We squeezed the final good years out of Marc and Serge. I doubt they combined for 2 full seasons between them after they left. Even Lowry's highly productive years were behind him by the time he left. It meant there was a natural talent drain as they were (over?)invested in aged players that they couldn't extract much value out of. But the championship was the return on investment.
Following, what they did was re-sign young key players—some of which were major contributors to the title. Those players—FVV, Pascal, OG, Norm—are now starters and major contributors on good teams.
But yes, trading Norm for Trent was a loss.
They also missed in some picks. So they were running a depleted bench for several seasons.
Another mistake was not committing fully to the core they invested in. They seemed tentative post-Tampa and never found the path to complete the roster. In retrospect the 4th pick in 2021 should have been moved to bolster the starting lineup or acquire ready-to-win depth.
