Toronto Star: Edward Rogers fought plans to keep Raptors’ Masai Ujiri

[OAKLEY_2]

Excellent article from top to bottom, dealing with both the obvious racial issue but just as important the competence issue.

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Special Ed looks like Jeb Bush without the swagger. They should insist he visits Mer a Lago in the Raps BLM bus.

[refshateRaps]

Sounds like a crazy contract

Masai deserves to be the highest paid in the League. No doubt. But 40% higher? plus numerous unprecedented & complicated concessions. There is a justifiable limit to not wanting to proceed.

We're talking about a contract like this within the 10th largest NBA market I can see some concern on this basis alone.

We all love Masai, & some love to throw the racist card without much backing. Possibly there is something there, could be with anyone. But its not fair to label someone with something so vile without significant justification. This contract even without the finer details seems to be significant enough to have been a legitimate concern.

[lobosloboslobos]

That's interesting. for those who don't watch basically Doug says there was supposed to be a clause in the contract that would have given Masai control over the Jays as well, which seemingly made Ed lose his sh*t because more than anything he apparently cherishes his ownership of the Jays, but either way it does seem to have been cut from the deal so while Masai may have been aiming for it – probably with the support of Larry T and others - Bell wasn't having it and Masai presumably shrugged and said OK and signed for the rest of the stuff in his deal.

I'm not sure how that could even be possible since Masai works for MLSE and the Jays are owned outright by Rogers. Per the article Rogers wanted to separate their stake from MLSE into a separate company, combined with the Blue Jays.

Kenny Williams did have a cup of coffee with the Jays well before Rogers owned them. It's still plausible that he didn't know him from Adam and just saw a cheap, competent executive.

yeah, i guess it wasn't possible in the end, but maybe they had some kind of plan to try to push it through. or maybe they just did it to get Ed riled up as part of a bigger plan to get rid of him. who knows? somebody I guess, but not us...

[maternal85]

Sounds like a crazy contract

Masai deserves to be the highest paid in the League. No doubt. But 40% higher? plus numerous unprecedented & complicated concessions. There is a justifiable limit to not wanting to proceed.

We're talking about a contract like this within the 10th largest NBA market I can see some concern on this basis alone.

We all love Masai, & some love to throw the racist card without much backing. Possibly there is something there, could be with anyone. But its not fair to label someone with something so vile without significant justification. This contract even without the finer details seems to be significant enough to have been a legitimate concern.

Another racial gaslighting. Stop using the white card. If someone gives you X dollars, that's your worth. Why don't you talk about the amount of money Ujiri has made for this franchise. Put things into context, and stop using racial gaslighting. Just tell people the real reason why you are questioning Ujiri contract.

[Quattro]

Sounds like a crazy contract

Masai deserves to be the highest paid in the League. No doubt. But 40% higher? plus numerous unprecedented & complicated concessions. There is a justifiable limit to not wanting to proceed.

We're talking about a contract like this within the 10th largest NBA market I can see some concern on this basis alone.

We all love Masai, & some love to throw the racist card without much backing. Possibly there is something there, could be with anyone. But its not fair to label someone with something so vile without significant justification. This contract even without the finer details seems to be significant enough to have been a legitimate concern.

Until you consider where this franchise is today (including its net worth) compared to when it was when Masai took over. The raptors today look nothing like the embarrassment of a franchise that had zero relevance in the nba or anywhere outside of Toronto really. He rebuilt this rotten franchise from the inside out and made it a model nba franchise.

His value is whatever the market is willing to pay. It sounds like he actually took less to stay here than he could have obtained elsewhere.

Finally, it’s one thing for Rogers to question the value of the contract at the board level. It’s something else altogether to:

1) accuse him of being arrogant and bringing “bodyguards” to his cottage and having the “worst meeting he’s ever had” after Masai characterized that meeting as going well.

2) calling Masai after the contract was finalized and telling him to his face that he was overpaid.

There’s simply no defending his behaviour.

[refshateRaps]

Sounds like a crazy contract

Masai deserves to be the highest paid in the League. No doubt. But 40% higher? plus numerous unprecedented & complicated concessions. There is a justifiable limit to not wanting to proceed.

We're talking about a contract like this within the 10th largest NBA market I can see some concern on this basis alone.

We all love Masai, & some love to throw the racist card without much backing. Possibly there is something there, could be with anyone. But its not fair to label someone with something so vile without significant justification. This contract even without the finer details seems to be significant enough to have been a legitimate concern.

Until you consider where this franchise is today (including its net worth) compared to when it was when Masai took over. The raptors today look nothing like the embarrassment of a franchise that had zero relevance in the nba or anywhere outside of Toronto really. He rebuilt this rotten franchise from the inside out and made it a model nba franchise.

His value is whatever the market is willing to pay. It sounds like he actually took less to stay here than he could have obtained elsewhere.

Finally, it’s one thing for Rogers to question the value of the contract at the board level. It’s something else altogether to:

1) accuse him of being arrogant and bringing “bodyguards” to his cottage and having the “worst meeting he’s ever had” after Masai characterized that meeting as going well.

2) caring Masai after the contract was finalized and telling him to his face that he was overpaid.

There’s simply no defending his behaviour.

Sounds a bit like the Demar & Masai meeting only reverse roles

Loyalty in business is always tough to maintain

[ATLTimekeeper]

That's interesting. for those who don't watch basically Doug says there was supposed to be a clause in the contract that would have given Masai control over the Jays as well, which seemingly made Ed lose his sh*t because more than anything he apparently cherishes his ownership of the Jays, but either way it does seem to have been cut from the deal so while Masai may have been aiming for it – probably with the support of Larry T and others - Bell wasn't having it and Masai presumably shrugged and said OK and signed for the rest of the stuff in his deal.

I'm not sure how that could even be possible since Masai works for MLSE and the Jays are owned outright by Rogers. Per the article Rogers wanted to separate their stake from MLSE into a separate company, combined with the Blue Jays.

Kenny Williams did have a cup of coffee with the Jays well before Rogers owned them. It's still plausible that he didn't know him from Adam and just saw a cheap, competent executive.

yeah, i guess it wasn't possible in the end, but maybe they had some kind of plan to try to push it through. or maybe they just did it to get Ed riled up as part of a bigger plan to get rid of him. who knows? somebody I guess, but not us...

I don't really remember what Ujiri's capacity is now. But, I guess if Rogers tried to bundle the Jays with other MLSE sports teams that Ujiri may have negotiated some advisory role on all MLSE properties. He would have had a role on this proposed Rogers company, right?

[ForeverTFC]

Sounds like a crazy contract

Masai deserves to be the highest paid in the League. No doubt. But 40% higher? plus numerous unprecedented & complicated concessions. There is a justifiable limit to not wanting to proceed.

We're talking about a contract like this within the 10th largest NBA market I can see some concern on this basis alone.

We all love Masai, & some love to throw the racist card without much backing. Possibly there is something there, could be with anyone. But its not fair to label someone with something so vile without significant justification. This contract even without the finer details seems to be significant enough to have been a legitimate concern.

Until you consider where this franchise is today (including its net worth) compared to when it was when Masai took over. The raptors today look nothing like the embarrassment of a franchise that had zero relevance in the nba or anywhere outside of Toronto really. He rebuilt this rotten franchise from the inside out and made it a model nba franchise.

His value is whatever the market is willing to pay. It sounds like he actually took less to stay here than he could have obtained elsewhere.

Finally, it’s one thing for Rogers to question the value of the contract at the board level. It’s something else altogether to:

1) accuse him of being arrogant and bringing “bodyguards” to his cottage and having the “worst meeting he’s ever had” after Masai characterized that meeting as going well.

2) caring Masai after the contract was finalized and telling him to his face that he was overpaid.

There’s simply no defending his behaviour.

Sounds a bit like the Demar & Masai meeting only reverse roles

Loyalty in business is always tough to maintain

It sounds NOTHING like that...

[refshateRaps]

Until you consider where this franchise is today (including its net worth) compared to when it was when Masai took over. The raptors today look nothing like the embarrassment of a franchise that had zero relevance in the nba or anywhere outside of Toronto really. He rebuilt this rotten franchise from the inside out and made it a model nba franchise.

His value is whatever the market is willing to pay. It sounds like he actually took less to stay here than he could have obtained elsewhere.

Finally, it’s one thing for Rogers to question the value of the contract at the board level. It’s something else altogether to:

1) accuse him of being arrogant and bringing “bodyguards” to his cottage and having the “worst meeting he’s ever had” after Masai characterized that meeting as going well.

2) caring Masai after the contract was finalized and telling him to his face that he was overpaid.

There’s simply no defending his behaviour.

Sounds a bit like the Demar & Masai meeting only reverse roles

Loyalty in business is always tough to maintain

It sounds NOTHING like that...

I meant they both felt had good meetings with their boss only to feel the loyalty knife come out soon after. Obliviously both situations were complex business decisions in their own unique ways.

[OakleyDokely]

Masai should be named chairman of Rogers communications.

[carlosey]

Masai is a top level sports exec. Growth, championship, brand expansion. hes brought the whole package, and deserves to be paid like one of the best, if not the best, in the game. In a sea of uncertainty, he is guaranteed to keep the team competitive or with a plan to get there. That simple.

Ed Rogers is a racist that simply wants to stop masai from getting paid. Even if thats not good enough for you, then you can count on him on keeping the raptors mediocre and cheap.

The raptors can grow to be a bigger franchise, or they can sink back to way before We The North era where Richard Peddie would meddle and select whomever was the cheapest for the job. Thats where we are at with this guy.

[ItsDanger]

https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2013/01/10/brian_burkes_firing_by_the_maple_leafs_not_a_hockey_decision.html

Cope got Burke fired from Leafs years ago. Didn't like his "personality". That's code for he thought he was an ****.

[will]

Sounds like Ed was just hatin'.

[will]

Sounds like a crazy contract

Masai deserves to be the highest paid in the League. No doubt. But 40% higher? plus numerous unprecedented & complicated concessions. There is a justifiable limit to not wanting to proceed.

We're talking about a contract like this within the 10th largest NBA market I can see some concern on this basis alone.

We all love Masai, & some love to throw the racist card without much backing. Possibly there is something there, could be with anyone. But its not fair to label someone with something so vile without significant justification. This contract even without the finer details seems to be significant enough to have been a legitimate concern.

Until you consider where this franchise is today (including its net worth) compared to when it was when Masai took over. The raptors today look nothing like the embarrassment of a franchise that had zero relevance in the nba or anywhere outside of Toronto really. He rebuilt this rotten franchise from the inside out and made it a model nba franchise.

His value is whatever the market is willing to pay. It sounds like he actually took less to stay here than he could have obtained elsewhere.

Finally, it’s one thing for Rogers to question the value of the contract at the board level. It’s something else altogether to:

1) accuse him of being arrogant and bringing “bodyguards” to his cottage and having the “worst meeting he’s ever had” after Masai characterized that meeting as going well.

2) caring Masai after the contract was finalized and telling him to his face that he was overpaid.

There’s simply no defending his behaviour.

Sounds a bit like the Demar & Masai meeting only reverse roles

Loyalty in business is always tough to maintain

When it comes to business, loyalty goes out the window. No matter how well people try to dress it up.

[Jcity08]

In what universe did Masai treat Demar the way bloated Potato Ed treated Masai?

[Badonkadonk]

Sounds like a crazy contract

Masai deserves to be the highest paid in the League. No doubt. But 40% higher? plus numerous unprecedented & complicated concessions. There is a justifiable limit to not wanting to proceed.

We're talking about a contract like this within the 10th largest NBA market I can see some concern on this basis alone.

We all love Masai, & some love to throw the racist card without much backing. Possibly there is something there, could be with anyone. But its not fair to label someone with something so vile without significant justification. This contract even without the finer details seems to be significant enough to have been a legitimate concern.

How much larger the contract value is than previously is completely irrelevant. Market value dictates the price for high end talent in any market where there is free movement of labour.

Nobody is "throwing out" the race card with Ed, he's earned the scrutiny, and article's like Morgan's yesterday clearly explain why from a black man's perspective.

[dgr81]

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[omar36]

masai contract is prob smaller then guys like pascal/freds/og or other bums in the league paying 30+ doing nothing (no offense to westbrook but like come on lol)

his value not only creates the best product the franchise has ever seen, it also boosts the hell out of the valuation. look at how this team exploded after they won. hes worth his contract even if it was 20 million a year. mlse literally pays mike babcock 7 million a year to watch hunting channels.

[TheRealDeal]

He told his partners he felt the compensation was too high, and, according to the MLSE sources and a source close to the NBA, Rogers was convinced the Raptors could be managed without Ujiri’s help by existing general manager Bobby Webster.

I love Bobby Webster as a GM, but look at how Jeff Weltman is doing without Masai’s guidance in Orlando

[OakleyDokely]

He told his partners he felt the compensation was too high, and, according to the MLSE sources and a source close to the NBA, Rogers was convinced the Raptors could be managed without Ujiri’s help by existing general manager Bobby Webster.

I love Bobby Webster as a GM, but look at how Jeff Weltman is doing without Masai’s guidance in Orlando

Honestly, I doubt Ed Rogers would know it was Bobby Webster if he hit him with his car. He just knew he'd cost about 1/15 of what Masai would cost.