Raptors' Masai Ujiri Facing Major Decision After News on Wednesday
The Toronto Raptors won the 2019 NBA Finals, but it's been all downhill from there. They made the Eastern Conference Semifinals the following year and haven't won a series since.
The current Raptors are a mix of new and old faces from top to bottom. They still have Masai Ujiri, who built the championship squad as general manager and executive vice president, in the front office. The 2013 NBA Executive of the Year is now the team president and vice chairman, while Bobby Webster is the general manager. Webster was Ujiri's first hire in 2013.
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However, Toronto might have another shakeup upstairs, via Marc Stein.
Toronto Raptors Vice-Chairman and Team President Masai Ujiri.© John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
"The [Atlanta] Hawks have expressed interest in trying to hire Masai Ujiri away from Toronto, league sources tell The Stein Line," he reported.
Atlanta wants Ujiri to be its president of basketball operations.
"It was not immediately clear, league sources say, what sort of shot Atlanta has at prizing Ujiri away from the league's lone Canadian franchise, which won the only championship in franchise history in 2018-19 after Ujiri boldly traded for Kawhi Leonard when the former San Antonio Spur had only one year left on his contract," Stein wrote in his story.
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While Ujiri and Webster have been in the organization for years, head coach Darko Rajakovic arrived in 2023, as did guards RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. Barrett led the Raptors with 21.1 points per game this past season.
The team drafted franchise centerpiece Scottie Barnes in 2021, but it acquired veteran star Brandon Ingram at the 2024-25 trade deadline.
Related: Raptors' Masai Ujiri Reacts to Unexpected Scottie Barnes Message
Related: Raptors GM Sends Clear Message Before NBA Draft
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