NBA rumors: Rifts between Raptors, Masai Ujiri beginning to form
Masai Ujiri is one of the most respected executives in the NBA. Not only has Ujiri been with the Toronto Raptors since 2013, but he has turned this franchise into a contender numerous times, including in 2019, when the Raptors seized their first championship in team history. Due to his passion and commitment to winning, Ujiri has long been known as the architect behind Toronto's success.
Every NBA organization goes through changes at some point, and that is where the Raptors currently find themselves. Youthful talents such as Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley highlight a Raptors roster that is currently being rebuilt, and Ujiri has a clear vision for how this group will blossom into a true contender. However, whether or not Ujiri will be the one to lead this team into the future is the big question at hand, especially after the business side of the team received substantial news on Wednesday.
For years, Bell Canada Enterprises and Rogers Communications have owned the majority share of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE). With both companies splitting the television and radio rights, all has seemed well in Toronto. Everything is now set to change, as Rogers announced on Wednesday that they had bought Bell's ownership stake for $3.46 billion. While Ujiri has held strong relationships with the joint ownership and minority owner Larry Tanenbaum through the years, his relationship has been strained at times with Rogers, according to The Athletic's Eric Koreen.
Now that Rogers is set to take over as the owner of the team, there are major question marks surrounding Ujiri's future in Toronto.
Rogers and Ujiri have not seen eye-to-eye on a lot of matters throughout the years. Even so, these tensions did not raise any major concerns due to the fact that neither Rogers nor Ujiri held authority over one another to make the final say in the decision-making process regarding the Raptors. Due to Bell's stake in ownership being bought by Rogers, as well as Tanenbaum now being nothing more than a stakeholder due to Rogers taking over Bell's stake, Ujiri is going to be put under the microscope.
It is worth noting that Tanenbaum is the Raptors' representative and was recently re-elected as the chair of the NBA's board of governors last week. Ujiri, who holds a strong relationship with Tanenbaum, has been the Raptors' alternate governor for years.
What is notable about this whole ordeal with Rogers purchasing Bell's ownership stake is that Rogers will be at the top of the totem pole with nobody else to contest him. This now puts the spotlight on the relationship Rogers and Ujiri have with one another, especially since the Raptors owner didn't want to make the executive a lucrative offer for his achievements in 2021, according to Koreen. This is certainly a driving force behind the rocky relationship.
Ujiri is now entering the final two years of the big contract he signed with the team in 2021. It is uncanny to think that Ujiri's job is in jeopardy, especially given his proven track record of success, but the NBA is an ever-changing business. Feuds between Rogers and Ujiri through the years may very well hinder this relationship moving forward, and with Rogers making the decisions for the Raptors now, it is hard to exactly pinpoint the executive's long-term future.
The Raptors as an organization have been very successful under Ujiri's leadership, and this team will continue to be built through Ujiri's vision. At the same time, he may have only two years left to prove that this team can immediately become a championship contender. Otherwise, Ujiri may not return to the organization he has helped run since 2013.
