Masai Ujiri is Overrated

[JPriest]

Masai made the Raptors win a ring.

Who would’ve ever thought Toronto would have a championship?

Best GM in the NBA.

With or without winning a ring, I think Masai is a very good GM but imagine this.

1. Kawhi didn't get injured in San Antonio?
2. Leonard did get injured but was ok with how MGT handled it.
3. Kawhi was upset with MGT but Pops stepped in and they reconciled and he didn't demand a trade.
4. They never reconciled but Spurs trades him to the Lakers or other teams other than Toronto.
5. They did trade him to Toronto but they asked for FVV and Siakam instead of Poeltl.
6. Spurs agrees to whatever, Kawhi missed that shot vs Sixers but Butler hits a late game shot in game 7.
7. KD, Klay NEVER GOT INJURED.
Now, what are the chances of them winning if one of these things happened?

lmfao, wtf is this. alternate universe analysis day?

[Kingsway_fan]

They move Lowry for Dragic who refuses to play for them. They then decide to not draft the BPA and elite prospect guard, Jalen Suggs. Who should have been the face of the PG spot moving foward. This team seems like it has no real direction given the past 2 years worth of transactions. Kawhi left, Marc, Ibaka, Powell, Lowry. Who is next? Siakam?

They have a good scouting team so I give them the benefit of the doubt for now but if Suggs goes on blow up in Orlando, and Barnes becomes just another role player or he busts, its going to haunt this team for years.

A lot of Raptor fans are going to come in and defend the hell out of him and I completely understand. I'm just stating that from the outside looking in, it doesn't look good. And on a side note - I like Barnes. I also like Kuminga, Sengun and Moody too. But not over Suggs. That selection shouldn't have been complicated to make.

All time clueless OP...

[Big Dog Yank]

Masai Ujiri went all in with Kawhi and Marc Gasol trades and got lucky when Durant and Klay both got injured. The Bucks GM went all in with Jrue Holiday trade and got lucky when Harden and Kyrie both got injured, but nobody calls him a genius like they do with Masai.
By the same logic they're both geniuses with small market teams?

Difference is Masai didn't sell years of draft capital to get Kawhi or Marc Gasol. Also, the Raptors were competitive against the Warriors through 2018-2019, whereas the Bucks weren't looking too hot when Kyrie was playing. Also, your logic is flawed if you just compare paths to their respective championships, when there are so many other aspects to consider.

The other difference is that the Bucks' GM managed to resign his superstar, where Masai couldn't. Masai=overrated.

[Saul Goodman]

He’s absolutely properly rated. Considering the shape the team was in 2013 when he took over. Bloated contracts and a non existent Development program and generally a laughing stock of the league. He turned it not only into a championship nok winning team but a franchise with a distinct culture and a factory for development.

He also got more for a 35 year old departing UFA in Lowry that the New Orleans Pelicans got for a 23 year old restricted free agent

[durka]

Masai made the Raptors win a ring.

Who would’ve ever thought Toronto would have a championship?

Best GM in the NBA.

With or without winning a ring, I think Masai is a very good GM but imagine this.

1. Kawhi didn't get injured in San Antonio?
2. Leonard did get injured but was ok with how MGT handled it.
3. Kawhi was upset with MGT but Pops stepped in and they reconciled and he didn't demand a trade.
4. They never reconciled but Spurs trades him to the Lakers or other teams other than Toronto.
5. They did trade him to Toronto but they asked for FVV and Siakam instead of Poeltl.
6. Spurs agrees to whatever, Kawhi missed that shot vs Sixers but Butler hits a late game shot in game 7.
7. KD, Klay NEVER GOT INJURED.
Now, what are the chances of them winning if one of these things happened?

Masai put his team in a position to capitalize on these hypothetical what ifs.

We can play this game for the Lakers though:

What if Charlotte drafted Kobe?
What if Fisher got his shot off .4 seconds later?
What if that rebound didn't bounce out to Horry?

The list can go on here. See how silly this argument is?

[DAcReator]

Masai made the Raptors win a ring.

Who would’ve ever thought Toronto would have a championship?

Best GM in the NBA.

With or without winning a ring, I think Masai is a very good GM but imagine this.

1. Kawhi didn't get injured in San Antonio?
2. Leonard did get injured but was ok with how MGT handled it.
3. Kawhi was upset with MGT but Pops stepped in and they reconciled and he didn't demand a trade.
4. They never reconciled but Spurs trades him to the Lakers or other teams other than Toronto.
5. They did trade him to Toronto but they asked for FVV and Siakam instead of Poeltl.
6. Spurs agrees to whatever, Kawhi missed that shot vs Sixers but Butler hits a late game shot in game 7.
7. KD, Klay NEVER GOT INJURED.
Now, what are the chances of them winning if one of these things happened?

lmfao, wtf is this. alternate universe analysis day?

Wht if the asteroid never hit the dinosaurs. I feel like MJ wouldn’t of won six rings then

[Slim_Charles]

Scottie Barnes is going to be a star in the league. Will be better than Suggs after 4 to 5 years.

[JPriest]

Masai Ujiri went all in with Kawhi and Marc Gasol trades and got lucky when Durant and Klay both got injured. The Bucks GM went all in with Jrue Holiday trade and got lucky when Harden and Kyrie both got injured, but nobody calls him a genius like they do with Masai.
By the same logic they're both geniuses with small market teams?

Difference is Masai didn't sell years of draft capital to get Kawhi or Marc Gasol. Also, the Raptors were competitive against the Warriors through 2018-2019, whereas the Bucks weren't looking too hot when Kyrie was playing. Also, your logic is flawed if you just compare paths to their respective championships, when there are so many other aspects to consider.

The other difference is that the Bucks' GM managed to resign his superstar, where Masai couldn't. Masai=overrated.

really going to use that argument? everyone knew he wanted to go to LA. I'm sure Jesus couldn't have kept Kawhi in Toronto or even bum **** Milwakee Wiscansin if he was there.

[Big Dog Yank]

Difference is Masai didn't sell years of draft capital to get Kawhi or Marc Gasol. Also, the Raptors were competitive against the Warriors through 2018-2019, whereas the Bucks weren't looking too hot when Kyrie was playing. Also, your logic is flawed if you just compare paths to their respective championships, when there are so many other aspects to consider.

The other difference is that the Bucks' GM managed to resign his superstar, where Masai couldn't. Masai=overrated.

really going to use that argument? everyone knew he wanted to go to LA. I'm sure Jesus couldn't have kept Kawhi in Toronto or even bum **** Milwakee Wiscansin if he was there.

It's funny that you seem to think misspelling words helps your argument.

Anyway, I guess we never will know if Kawhi would've stayed in Milwaukee. What we always will know is that he didn't stay in Toronto.

[nikster]

easy to say when another GM brought in almost all the players.

Masai took over a 34 win team. When they won their first playoff series a couple years later they only had 3 player left from before his tenure. When they won the title they had only one

4 actually. They still had Lowry, DeRozan, Valanciunas and Ross from the Colangelo era, representing 60% of the starters plus Head Coach Sam Mitchell hired by Colangelo. Thus his predecessor's footprint on that team was still significant.

However, having said that, bringing in players is only part of the equation. Another is ensuring you have the right mix of players with the right culture to form the basis of a winning and possibly Championship team. This is the harder part team building and where Ujiri especially shined and his predecessor miserably failed.

The Toronto team before 2019 was already a perennial 50-win, one of the best defensively with solid team leadership. That's the team Kawhi came into and allowed him to do what he did best - be the first option and top scorer. Ujiri's Trade Deadline Valanciunas for Gasol trade was the critical last piece of the puzzle to put them over the top (they likely would not have beaten the Sixers in Round 2 without Gasol). This team building was all on Ujiri and is why he's hot overrated.

right, I forgot Ross was gone the next season. But i agree, he completely changed the identity of the team

[nikster]

The other difference is that the Bucks' GM managed to resign his superstar, where Masai couldn't. Masai=overrated.

really going to use that argument? everyone knew he wanted to go to LA. I'm sure Jesus couldn't have kept Kawhi in Toronto or even bum **** Milwakee Wiscansin if he was there.

It's funny that you seem to think misspelling words helps your argument.

Anyway, I guess we never will know if Kawhi would've stayed in Milwaukee. What we always will know is that he didn't stay in Toronto.

so maybe its a stupid way of comparing GMs?

[JPriest]

The other difference is that the Bucks' GM managed to resign his superstar, where Masai couldn't. Masai=overrated.

really going to use that argument? everyone knew he wanted to go to LA. I'm sure Jesus couldn't have kept Kawhi in Toronto or even bum **** Milwakee Wiscansin if he was there.

It's funny that you seem to think misspelling words helps your argument.

Anyway, I guess we never will know if Kawhi would've stayed in Milwaukee. What we always will know is that he didn't stay in Toronto.

he probably would've. he loves cheese and racial segregation

[Big Dog Yank]

really going to use that argument? everyone knew he wanted to go to LA. I'm sure Jesus couldn't have kept Kawhi in Toronto or even bum **** Milwakee Wiscansin if he was there.

It's funny that you seem to think misspelling words helps your argument.

Anyway, I guess we never will know if Kawhi would've stayed in Milwaukee. What we always will know is that he didn't stay in Toronto.

so maybe its a stupid way of comparing GMs?

Maybe it is, but I see a lot of people praising Masai for trading for Kawhi (truthfully, as well they should, it was a great move) and pointing to that as proof he's a great GM. If people can make that argument, I think it's only fair to criticize him for not being able to resign him as well.

[Big Dog Yank]

really going to use that argument? everyone knew he wanted to go to LA. I'm sure Jesus couldn't have kept Kawhi in Toronto or even bum **** Milwakee Wiscansin if he was there.

It's funny that you seem to think misspelling words helps your argument.

Anyway, I guess we never will know if Kawhi would've stayed in Milwaukee. What we always will know is that he didn't stay in Toronto.

he probably would've. he loves cheese and racial segregation

I see you've chosen the ad hominem approach to this discussion. Typical of many Toronto fans here.

[JPriest]

It's funny that you seem to think misspelling words helps your argument.

Anyway, I guess we never will know if Kawhi would've stayed in Milwaukee. What we always will know is that he didn't stay in Toronto.

he probably would've. he loves cheese and racial segregation

I see you've chosen the ad hominem approach to this discussion. Typical of many Toronto fans here.

lmfao there is no discussion. not being able to resign a player after reaching the mountaintop because he wanted to go home since he was drafted says nothing about his team building.

[Capn'O]

I don't care what anyone says about him as long as my Knicks don't do any more major trades with him.

Also, the fate of a draft pick does not determine his body of work. Every executive has hits/misses in the draft.

[nikster]

It's funny that you seem to think misspelling words helps your argument.

Anyway, I guess we never will know if Kawhi would've stayed in Milwaukee. What we always will know is that he didn't stay in Toronto.

so maybe its a stupid way of comparing GMs?

Maybe it is, but I see a lot of people praising Masai for trading for Kawhi (truthfully, as well they should, it was a great move) and pointing to that as proof he's a great GM. If people can make that argument, I think it's only fair to criticize him for not being able to resign him as well.

why is that fair? He had control over one decision, had basically no control over the other

[Jadoogar]

I don't care what anyone says about him as long as my Knicks don't do any more major trades with him.

Also, the fate of a draft pick does not determine his body of work. Every executive has hits/misses in the draft.

idk about that, Masai tried to give you guys Kyle Lowry iirc.
But honestly i think the Bargnani trade was the best move Masai has made with the raptors, even better than Kawhi. Just insane to get get a FRP for Bargnani at that point in his career.

[ItsDanger]

I voted maybe. I don't know what your overrated context is. Around the league might be different than within Raptors circles.

[Van_Trump]

The OP seemed more concerned with the Barnes pick than all this other stuff.

Anyway, Masai has a considerable handicap trying to convince players to play in Toronto, compared with American teams.