Masai: ‘Plenty part' of Kawhi wanted to stay with Raptors

[Alfred]

https://www.sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/masai-ujiri-plenty-part-of-kawhi-wanted-to-stay-with-raptors-182141896.html

When NBA Africa launches, Ujiri is gone. He'll be the Commissioner there.

Ujiri doesn’t care about the raptors and he frankly never has. He’s been using his position here to promote a product he otherwise would have trouble doing in the US.

Bringing a championship to Canada was great but he helps his resume when he decides to dip.

I can’t handle takes like this before I’ve had my coffee.

[rrdjutriurt]

In time, Kawhi will join the list of former players that will regret ever leaving Toronto for supposedly greener pastures.

[XxIronChainzxX]

When NBA Africa launches, Ujiri is gone. He'll be the Commissioner there.

Ujiri doesn’t care about the raptors and he frankly never has. He’s been using his position here to promote a product he otherwise would have trouble doing in the US.

Bringing a championship to Canada was great but he helps his resume when he decides to dip.

I can’t handle takes like this before I’ve had my coffee.

That's okay. I'm fine with having superstars who hate being here but give 100% and genius executives who exploit the team for personal gain.

In this horrible exchange all we got were multiple 50+ win seasons, two ECFs and an NBA title.

Leaf fans would kill to be exploited this way.

[Jcity08]

https://www.sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/masai-ujiri-plenty-part-of-kawhi-wanted-to-stay-with-raptors-182141896.html

When NBA Africa launches, Ujiri is gone. He'll be the Commissioner there.

Ujiri doesn’t care about the raptors and he frankly never has. He’s been using his position here to promote a product he otherwise would have trouble doing in the US.

Bringing a championship to Canada was great but he helps his resume when he decides to dip.

Ujiri having dreams that are larger than just running a team like the Raptors is understandable and doesn't automatically imply he doesn't care about this organization, city, country. Not everything is black & white.

We should be happy for him that he has dreams of an african league, its an amazing idea that could really be an economic boom for many of the initial cities involved. We as fans also benefit from this clearly, his eye for scouting hidden talents of the continent will only make our team better.

How anyone would find room for pessimism is lost on me, as I only see positives from Giants of Africa and the culture that he's brought to us.

After this championship, Masai cemented himself as a Raptors legend. He could leave to run a basketball program on the darkside of the moon, with both middle fingers in the air, kicking the down doors of the Scotiabank arena on the way out and I'd stand & salute.

[howlin mad axer]

Wasn't Masai in Rwanda or something when Kawhi was making his decision? Maybe had Ujuri been more available Leonard would have re-signed.

[lolwut]

Wasn't Masai in Rwanda or something when Kawhi was making his decision? Maybe had Ujuri been more available Leonard would have re-signed.

Cmon now... These takes are getting hotter and hotter.

[Tanner]

Lol at people hating on Masai.

Some of you will never be satisfied.

[omar36]

Lol at people hating on Masai.

Some of you will never be satisfied.

yeah and i know its a small minoirty but its hilarious. we achieved what most thought was impossible atleast in the short term with a core of demar/lowry. we won the whole thing for the first time ever. now all ppl care about is that kawhi left

who cares, let him do him, we will be fine. I will take a championship over 5 years of kawhi with no gurantee we win it anyday.

[WaltFrazier]

Kawhi was not adverse to playing for Toronto one more season and re-evaluating again at the end of that season, even if some have bought full into the "LA as soon as possible, no matter what, plug my fingers into my ears and repeat" narrative....

I don't know if that's true but I sure would have taken it, as a fan. Kawhi gives us one more year with the veteran crew to try to repeat, THEN go home. Wouldn't we all have been ok with that?

[RonaldArtest]

Kawhi was not adverse to playing for Toronto one more season and re-evaluating again at the end of that season, even if some have bought full into the "LA as soon as possible, no matter what, plug my fingers into my ears and repeat" narrative....

I don't know if that's true but I sure would have taken it, as a fan. Kawhi gives us one more year with the veteran crew to try to repeat, THEN go home. Wouldn't we all have been ok with that?

Raps fans would be on board, but I’m guessing in Kawhi’s mind with the decision he made he’s getting his cake and eating it too. Goes home to be closer to family and warm weather, joins a team who played pretty well last season without him, and convinced another superstar to demand a trade to join you. Doesn’t get to repeat with the Toronto Raptors but he does get a good chance leading a new team, and I’m sure he’s fine with that. I’m just thankful he played hard here for the time he was under contract to the team, and helped the group reach the ultimate goal. Something for years I thought I would never get the chance to experience as a fan of this franchise.

[6ixSideSniper]

Kawhi was not adverse to playing for Toronto one more season and re-evaluating again at the end of that season, even if some have bought full into the "LA as soon as possible, no matter what, plug my fingers into my ears and repeat" narrative....

I don't know if that's true but I sure would have taken it, as a fan. Kawhi gives us one more year with the veteran crew to try to repeat, THEN go home. Wouldn't we all have been ok with that?

Everyone was saying “If Kawhi wins us a championship, I’ll personally drive him home to LA at the end of the season!”

You’ll never be happy with a top 3 player leaving your team no matter the circumstances.

[Jenike]

You know what's ****ing awesome? We won a title.

Yes but it's a wasted asset because in the long run it would have been better to trade him at the deadline for picks. /s

For what? So we can win a championship?.....Oh wait.....

[Al_Oliver]

I think Masai's suggesting here that other members of Kawhi's team/family tipped the balance in the decision.

Maybe, but I always assumed that Kawhi just wanted out. I have it on mid-level authority that Toronto was always going to be a hard sell, even as the team made the Finals. For one thing, he really hated the weather here.

I hate our winter too and I was born here...

[seanbig]

i can't remember one player that left a team after leading them to a championship for ANOTHER team.

its all spin.