[Shams] Masai Ujiri is out as Vice Chairman and President of the Toronto Raptors

[Raps in 4]

Respect to Masai for not mortgaging our future to save his career.

[Raptorfan2012]

Masai Ujiri is out as Vice Chairman and President of the Toronto Raptors, sources tell ESPN's Shams Charania.

The Raptors are expected to conduct a full search for the next president of basketball operations, sources added.

His departure comes a day after the conclusion of the NBA's draft and just before free agency begins on Monday.

The Raptors went 30-52 this past season and missed the postseason for the third straight year.

Ujiri, who was in the final year of his contract, joined the Raptors as general manager in 2013, leading Toronto to the franchise's only NBA title in 2019.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45596081/sources-masai-ujiri-vice-chairman-president-raptors

so not promoting Webster? He may leave as well

It will be similar to the Leafs for now - no Team Presidents for our teams.

[SurgeIblocka]

Im done with this BS

[gbball]

I heard that this is possibly because of not being able to land that "big fish"

I was worried that Rogers was another idiot owner like Ishiba, and if so, this confirms it.

Him running the Jays into the ground confirmed it.

This will likely age like getting rid of Anthopoulos. I've barely watch baseball since that and Anthopoulos has won elsewhere where it's easier to attract and keep talent without overpaying.

Masai as an executive elsewhere will be easy mode vs trying to do it in Toronto.

[Mack11]

Worst season ever..

[YogurtProducer]

Draft selection is a big decision. Maybe you don't think it matters for management team moving forward. Or potential trades for that matter. Not surprising.

you don''t even have the balls to tell us who you'd draft on a message board

you'd hide under the desk if anyone let you anywhere near an actual nba team.

LOL. GMs come and go all the time. Great opportunity for Bobby to take the franchise in his own direction. Let's be optimistic.

what does that have to do with what Oakley said?

Stop being a coward and just for once actually provide people with some moves you’d make. Until then you’re constant bitching about the moves in hindsight just falls flat.

[Iamtheliquor]

A sad day. Truly the end of an era. Despite the recent team and roster construction thank you for all that you did Masai. Turned a NBA backwater into a legit team, destination and champion.

[Mikistan]

I’m telling you, Bell, LarryT and Masai getting expansion in Montreal soon. I think Silver sees it as a way to make inroads to France and Europe

This would be delicious and hilarious

[PushDaRock]

Masai Ujiri is out as Vice Chairman and President of the Toronto Raptors, sources tell ESPN's Shams Charania.

The Raptors are expected to conduct a full search for the next president of basketball operations, sources added.

His departure comes a day after the conclusion of the NBA's draft and just before free agency begins on Monday.

The Raptors went 30-52 this past season and missed the postseason for the third straight year.

Ujiri, who was in the final year of his contract, joined the Raptors as general manager in 2013, leading Toronto to the franchise's only NBA title in 2019.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45596081/sources-masai-ujiri-vice-chairman-president-raptors

lol perfect timing heading into FA without anybody leading the org

[HiJiNX]

I think I’m done yall.

[tecumseh18]

Masai gone.
Shanahan gone.

Shapiro still here.

It pays to be a MAGA loving buddy of Ed Rogers.

Are you saying Shapiro is MAGA?

[YogurtProducer]

I was worried that Rogers was another idiot owner like Ishiba, and if so, this confirms it.

Him running the Jays into the ground confirmed it.

This will likely age like getting rid of Anthopoulos. I've barely watch baseball since that and Anthopoulos has won elsewhere where it's easier to attract and keep talent without overpaying.

Masai as an executive elsewhere will be easy mode vs trying to do it in Toronto.

And Dubas.

3 amazing executives Toronto lost.

[ontnut]

Sigh. I guess everyone just moves up one spot?

Masai immediately becomes the most sought after exec in the league.

He wasn't perfect, but he was easily the best leader in our franchise history. We will all miss him.

[lobosloboslobos]

Not a shock after Shanahan. But it's not as if you can look at his period post championship and say he merited special consideration.

I suspect they'll leave the front office as is and remove Masai's role, as they did for the Leafs. And Pelley will speak for the team more often.

Yes, the idea that he's been a top-tier GM post-chip is nonsense. People wanted the Masai of last decade to helm the team. We never got that.

This is the kind of idiotic take that drives me nuts. OF COURSE you got the same Masai. You think he suddenly became less smart, less the same guy? What happened is a bunch of his moves didn't work out. But guess what? THAT IS INEVITABLE in sports. Jerry West, one of the all-time great GMs in the league, said "In this job, if you right half the time you're doing great." Just think how much time people here would have spent trashing the 50%+ of Jerry West's moves that didn't work out if he was our GM. Wankers.

[SurgeIblocka]

Im thinking they knew Masai was leaving and probably wanted to save face and fire him before he leaves. Rogers is so fkd

[WuTang_OG]

this guys an idiot

Read on Twitter

[Troubadour]

The Ed Rogers Era will be the darkest this franchise has ever seen.

[TorontoBarneys]

So pretty much what you’re saying is Masai isn’t a top tier ship because of pretty much 1 year where he didn’t rebuild when he maybe should have?

He’s made immensely more good moves than bad moves. Even in the last 12 months with grabbing JKW/Shead/Mogbo/Battle, getting Ingram for cheap, etc.

Yall just haven’t seen the fruits of the last 18ish months yet so don’t appreciate it.

Rating the Ingram move before the guy has played even 1 game and is a known injury-prone player is ridiculous. Man you fell off as a poster.

Getting a guy who has a legit chance at being an all star for the equivalent of a mid 20s pick (NOP got 23 for it) this year is a great trade even if it doesn’t work out.

The risk is worth it - you can always evaluate by outcomes and results. Sometimes great processes end poorly, and bad process somehow works out great.

That’s why you lol at en entire body of work. Masais is near the top in the league. Maybe in league history.

My god... I can only stare in sheer awe at the top tier fanboyism of this post. This could be framed. How do you even start having a basketball conversation with someone like this? "Even if the trade turns out to be a mistake it was good in theory so that means it was a good trade." Just in sheer awe of you. Genuinely impressive.

[TDotAllStar]

truly heartbreaking news

[theonlyeastcoastrapsfan]

https://www.reddit.com/r/torontoraptors/comments/1llc2u3/rumor_the_timberwolves_are_seeking_a_protected/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Saw this on Redditt - not sure how valid, but I still feel we've been mismanaging Scottie by creating a culture to cater to him, rather than have him earn anything. The pick with Mogbo is a sore spot for me as is not taking the New Orleans deal. Blame Rogers all you want, I don't like them either, but if Masai was he we say he would have still be making the best decisions for the org. Masai had to approve the Kawai deal but the convo started from Bobby's contacts.

I guess I struggle with the coincidence that Mogbo was both the best pick at the time and Scotties pal. I think they took him to keep Scottie happy and that's not a good way to approach the relationship. Especially at the expense of future first rounders.