Shams: Bobby Promoted to "Final Decision Maker of Basketball (still GM) " update pg. 27

[Raptors Realtor]

The confusion by some posters in this thread can be easily cleared up if you all just accept this:

Masai was let go because they were never going to extend him again at the big bucks plus ownership stake he was getting (aka future cost cutting), but they will never, ever, outright admit this to the fanbase. The reason they will never admit it is simple: it would be even worse PR than just leaving the fans "guessing" (even though it's obvious) forever.

But why fire him a year before his contract expires?... They still have to pay him the $15M for this upcoming season.

[Jerry Lucas]

The confusion by some posters in this thread can be easily cleared up if you all just accept this:

Masai was let go because they were never going to extend him again at the big bucks plus ownership stake he was getting (aka future cost cutting), but they will never, ever, outright admit this to the fanbase. The reason they will never admit it is simple: it would be even worse PR than just leaving the fans "guessing" (even though it's obvious) forever.

But why fire him a year before his contract expires?... They still have to pay him the $15M for this upcoming season.

Because it's future cost cutting. The costs they are cutting aren't related to his current contract, it's the next contract he would have gotten if they extended him.

As to why now, they knew they weren't going to be extending him, so why keep him for just 1 more year if you know he's 100% a lame-duck? No owner in pro sports wants a lame-duck executive running their operation. They just would have been delaying the inevitable by 1 year.

[Kingsway_fan]

Based on the miserable list of candidates interviewed, Bobby was the no brainer top option.

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Yes... Masai was just a salary dump.

[Raptors Realtor]

The confusion by some posters in this thread can be easily cleared up if you all just accept this:

Masai was let go because they were never going to extend him again at the big bucks plus ownership stake he was getting (aka future cost cutting), but they will never, ever, outright admit this to the fanbase. The reason they will never admit it is simple: it would be even worse PR than just leaving the fans "guessing" (even though it's obvious) forever.

But why fire him a year before his contract expires?... They still have to pay him the $15M for this upcoming season.

Because it's future cost cutting. The costs they are cutting aren't related to his current contract, it's the next contract he would have gotten if they extended him.

As to why now, they knew they weren't going to be extending him, so why keep him for just 1 more year if you know he's 100% a lame-duck? No owner in pro sports wants a lame-duck executive running their operation. They just would have been delaying the inevitable by 1 year.

That's not entirely accurate... This same owner has a lame duck President and GM running the operations of the Blue Jays this season.

[kalel123]

The confusion by some posters in this thread can be easily cleared up if you all just accept this:

Masai was let go because they were never going to extend him again at the big bucks plus ownership stake he was getting (aka future cost cutting), but they will never, ever, outright admit this to the fanbase. The reason they will never admit it is simple: it would be even worse PR than just leaving the fans "guessing" (even though it's obvious) forever.

But why fire him a year before his contract expires?... They still have to pay him the $15M for this upcoming season.

If they never liked him in the first place, it's probably a benefit in their mind to see him outta here a year early and not have to deal with him. And if this new roster maximizes its potential and becomes top 6 seed in the East and they cut him loose, that's super bad for optics. At least right now, you can say team's been underachieving for what they have to pay the man and nobody's going to say a thing because that's a correct statement.

[Jerry Lucas]

But why fire him a year before his contract expires?... They still have to pay him the $15M for this upcoming season.

Because it's future cost cutting. The costs they are cutting aren't related to his current contract, it's the next contract he would have gotten if they extended him.

As to why now, they knew they weren't going to be extending him, so why keep him for just 1 more year if you know he's 100% a lame-duck? No owner in pro sports wants a lame-duck executive running their operation. They just would have been delaying the inevitable by 1 year.

That's not entirely accurate... This same owner has a lame duck President and GM running the operations of the Blue Jays this season.

Shapiro has a chance of getting extended so he isn't a true lame-duck, and Atkins is under contract for 1 more season after this and also has a chance of getting extended if Shapiro also does.

There was literally a 0% chance of Masai getting another extension here.

[kalel123]

I have to wonder if they ever gave honest effort to find new president or just went through the motions to fool the public. I'm leaning on the latter looking at the list of candidates they supposedly interviewed. Casey must feel so used.

[Jerry Lucas]

This basically confirms that Bobby is now under contract beyond 2026-27.

Read on Twitter

The minor extensions that got done to keep everyone in management under contract through 2026-27 were done by Masai before he was let go IIRC. This "further extension" Bobby got was negotiated after Masai was let go, and presumably now runs beyond 2026-27.

[Raptors Realtor]

Because it's future cost cutting. The costs they are cutting aren't related to his current contract, it's the next contract he would have gotten if they extended him.

As to why now, they knew they weren't going to be extending him, so why keep him for just 1 more year if you know he's 100% a lame-duck? No owner in pro sports wants a lame-duck executive running their operation. They just would have been delaying the inevitable by 1 year.

That's not entirely accurate... This same owner has a lame duck President and GM running the operations of the Blue Jays this season.

Shapiro has a chance of getting extended so he isn't a true lame-duck. There was literally a 0% chance of Masai getting another extension here.

Agree to disagree, I think if the Jays had faltered again this season, neither Shapiro or his GM hire Atkins, who Shapiro refused to replace previously would have had a chance at an extension... This season has likely garnered them a short extension. Therefore, why not offer Masai the same opportunity to see what the results look like in his last contractual season, he's had far more success at the helm than Shapiro/Atkins?

[dTox]

Read on Twitter

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Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro using RealGM mobile app

[ConSarnit]

The confusion by some posters in this thread can be easily cleared up if you all just accept this:

Masai was let go because they were never going to extend him again at the big bucks plus ownership stake he was getting (aka future cost cutting), but they will never, ever, outright admit this to the fanbase. The reason they will never admit it is simple: it would be even worse PR than just leaving the fans "guessing" (even though it's obvious) forever.

But why fire him a year before his contract expires?... They still have to pay him the $15M for this upcoming season.

Because it's future cost cutting. The costs they are cutting aren't related to his current contract, it's the next contract he would have gotten if they extended him.

As to why now, they knew they weren't going to be extending him, so why keep him for just 1 more year if you know he's 100% a lame-duck? No owner in pro sports wants a lame-duck executive running their operation. They just would have been delaying the inevitable by 1 year.

They let Masai stay on until after the draft even when he had admitted the decision to part ways was made earlier. Ownership was definitely willing to have some type of lame duck exec during an important decision making period.

If it was completely a money decision to let Masai go why not let him stay on as a lame duck? If it was just money related doesn’t that imply they still believed in his ability but just didn’t want to pay? There had to be some small factor of performance related issues or else why throw away $15m this year?

[causal_fan]

That's not entirely accurate... This same owner has a lame duck President and GM running the operations of the Blue Jays this season.

Shapiro has a chance of getting extended so he isn't a true lame-duck. There was literally a 0% chance of Masai getting another extension here.

Agree to disagree, I think if the Jays had faltered again this season, neither Shapiro or his GM hire Atkins, who Shapiro refused to replace previously would have had a chance at an extension... This season has likely garnered them a short extension. Therefore, why not offer Masai the same opportunity to see what the results look like in his last contractual season, he's had far more success at the helm than Shapiro/Atkins?

Easy answer for me - Ed Rogers was intimately involved with hiring Shapiro and is invested in his success as a reflection of Ed's decision making - never was involved or had much of a relationship with Masai and as was widely reported opposed Masai's last extension as being too Lucrative .

[ForeverTFC]

But why fire him a year before his contract expires?... They still have to pay him the $15M for this upcoming season.

Because it's future cost cutting. The costs they are cutting aren't related to his current contract, it's the next contract he would have gotten if they extended him.

As to why now, they knew they weren't going to be extending him, so why keep him for just 1 more year if you know he's 100% a lame-duck? No owner in pro sports wants a lame-duck executive running their operation. They just would have been delaying the inevitable by 1 year.

They let Masai stay on until after the draft even when he had admitted the decision to part ways was made earlier. Ownership was definitely willing to have some type of lame duck exec during an important decision making period.

If it was completely a money decision to let Masai go why not let him stay on as a lame duck? If it was just money related doesn’t that imply they still believed in his ability but just didn’t want to pay? There had to be some small factor of performance related issues or else why throw away $15m this year?

Rogers hates Masai and wanted to fire him. And now that he owns majority of MLSE (soon to be 100%), the financials matter a lot more to them as it will show up in their P&L. So he gets to fire Masai and pro-forma the POBO salary out in adjusted EBIT. Win win for him.

[causal_fan]

Also if the Raptors have a very successful 25-26 season , then it would be a big PR hit to let him go than after the nightmare of last season

[Tor_Raps]

Masai had an ownership stake in his contract so the longer you keep him around, the more you have to pay him with the NBA team valuations skyrocketing. That is why Masai was fired even with a year left on his contract.

I was pissed when Masai was let go but no president should have ownership stake, especially one with such pathetic results the past 5 years. Now its going to suck because I truly feel this team will be good next year and wished he was still around for it.

[ConSarnit]

great news and well deserved.

Bobby promoted will allow for continuity throughout the organization. He understands the market, has been here for a long time and worked under Masai. Most important thing is he understands that drafting and developing is the core to anything we do and Tolzman and the scouts will continue to find players.

Next season is a big year to take a leap. Lets go !

Why? He’s a major part of the front office that has bungled things the past few years. If they didn’t think Masai was good enough for the job why give it to his protege?

If the reporting is correct that ownership thought Masai was distracted with Giants of Africa then that leaves Bobby as the guy in charge the last few years and the results have not been good. I’m not sure why this hire is confidence building given the past few years. Maybe things change for the better but I’m skeptical.

[Raptors Realtor]

Masai had an ownership stake in his contract so the longer you keep him around, the more you have to pay him with the NBA team valuations skyrocketing. That is why Masai was fired even with a year left on his contract.

I was pissed when Masai was let go but no president should have ownership stake, especially one with such pathetic results the past 5 years. Now its going to suck because I truly feel this team will be good next year and wished he was still around for it.

I don't think that's accurate... I know the Wizards were offering him an ownership stake to leave the Raps, but I can't see MLSE ever doing that.

[WuTang_CMB]

great news and well deserved.

Bobby promoted will allow for continuity throughout the organization. He understands the market, has been here for a long time and worked under Masai. Most important thing is he understands that drafting and developing is the core to anything we do and Tolzman and the scouts will continue to find players.

Next season is a big year to take a leap. Lets go !

Why? He’s a major part of the front office that has bungled things the past few years. If they didn’t think Masai was good enough for the job why give it to his protege?

If the reporting is correct that ownership thought Masai was distracted with Giants of Africa then that leaves Bobby as the guy in charge the last few years and the results have not been good. I’m not sure why this hire is confidence building given the past few years. Maybe things change for the better but I’m skeptical.

He's been also 2nd in command during our best years and delivered a chip with an iconic trade that put us over the top. There's no use looking back at the mistakes of not moving off the core earlier but they've gotten back on track since with drafting/developing guys and the team is on the up by the looks of it

[DreamTeam09]

great news and well deserved.

Bobby promoted will allow for continuity throughout the organization. He understands the market, has been here for a long time and worked under Masai. Most important thing is he understands that drafting and developing is the core to anything we do and Tolzman and the scouts will continue to find players.

Next season is a big year to take a leap. Lets go !

Why? He’s a major part of the front office that has bungled things the past few years. If they didn’t think Masai was good enough for the job why give it to his protege?

If the reporting is correct that ownership thought Masai was distracted with Giants of Africa then that leaves Bobby as the guy in charge the last few years and the results have not been good. I’m not sure why this hire is confidence building given the past few years. Maybe things change for the better but I’m skeptical.

Again MLSE wasn't upset with the direction of the the Raptors, as evident they retained everyone around him except for him.
Clearly they didn't want to pay Masai his worth & this is a way to keep the "consistency & stability" as Pelly said at the firing presser of Masai
Your agenda is misaligned

[ConSarnit]

great news and well deserved.

Bobby promoted will allow for continuity throughout the organization. He understands the market, has been here for a long time and worked under Masai. Most important thing is he understands that drafting and developing is the core to anything we do and Tolzman and the scouts will continue to find players.

Next season is a big year to take a leap. Lets go !

Why? He’s a major part of the front office that has bungled things the past few years. If they didn’t think Masai was good enough for the job why give it to his protege?

If the reporting is correct that ownership thought Masai was distracted with Giants of Africa then that leaves Bobby as the guy in charge the last few years and the results have not been good. I’m not sure why this hire is confidence building given the past few years. Maybe things change for the better but I’m skeptical.

He's been also 2nd in command during our best years and delivered a chip with an iconic trade that put us over the top. There's no use looking back at the mistakes of not moving off the core earlier but they've gotten back on track since with drafting/developing guys and the team is on the up by the looks of it

We have no idea how much credit Bobby deserves for any of our successes. His background is a CBA expert. Our greatest strength has been drafting and development and that can more easily be traced to Masai or Tolzman.

We can’t say with any type of certainty which cog Bobby had played with this franchise. His know skill sets (CBA, contracts) has been helpful but we have zero idea about anything else.