Rifts between Raptors, Masai Ujiri starting to type

Masai Ujiri is without doubt one of the most revered executives within the NBA. Not solely has Ujiri been with the Toronto Raptors since 2013, however he has turned this franchise right into a contender quite a few occasions, together with in 2019, when the Raptors seized their first championship in group historical past. As a consequence of his ardour and dedication to profitable, Ujiri has lengthy been often called the architect behind Toronto’s success.

Each NBA group goes by adjustments sooner or later, and that’s the place the Raptors at present discover themselves. Youthful skills resembling Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley spotlight a Raptors roster that’s at present being rebuilt, and Ujiri has a transparent imaginative and prescient for a way this group will blossom into a real contender. Nevertheless, whether or not or not Ujiri would be the one to steer this group into the longer term is the large query at hand, particularly after the enterprise aspect of the group acquired substantial information on Wednesday.

For years, Bell Canada Enterprises and Rogers Communications have owned the bulk share of Maple Leaf Sports activities and Leisure (MLSE). With each corporations splitting the tv and radio rights, all has appeared properly in Toronto. Every part is now set to vary, as Rogers introduced on Wednesday that they’d purchased Bell’s possession stake for $3.46 billion. Whereas Ujiri has held robust relationships with the joint possession and minority proprietor Larry Tanenbaum by the years, his relationship has been strained at occasions with Rogers, in line with The Athletic’s Eric Koreen.

Now that Rogers is ready to take over because the proprietor of the group, there are main query marks surrounding Ujiri’s future in Toronto.

Rogers and Ujiri haven’t seen eye-to-eye on a variety of issues all through the years. Even so, these tensions didn’t increase any main issues on account of the truth that neither Rogers nor Ujiri held authority over each other to make the ultimate say within the decision-making course of concerning the Raptors. As a consequence of Bell’s stake in possession being purchased by Rogers, in addition to Tanenbaum now being nothing greater than a stakeholder on account of Rogers taking up Bell’s stake, Ujiri goes to be put below the microscope.

It’s price noting that Tanenbaum is the Raptors’ consultant and was lately re-elected because the chair of the NBA’s board of governors final week. Ujiri, who holds a powerful relationship with Tanenbaum, has been the Raptors’ alternate governor for years.

What’s notable about this complete ordeal with Rogers buying Bell’s possession stake is that Rogers might be on the prime of the totem pole with no person else to contest him. This now places the highlight on the connection Rogers and Ujiri have with each other, particularly for the reason that Raptors proprietor did not wish to make the manager a profitable supply for his achievements in 2021, in line with Koreen. That is definitely a driving drive behind the rocky relationship.

Ujiri is now coming into the ultimate two years of the large contract he signed with the group in 2021. It’s uncanny to assume that Ujiri’s job is in jeopardy, particularly given his confirmed monitor document of success, however the NBA is an ever-changing enterprise. Feuds between Rogers and Ujiri by the years could very properly hinder this relationship transferring ahead, and with Rogers making the choices for the Raptors now, it’s onerous to precisely pinpoint the manager’s long-term future.

The Raptors as a corporation have been very profitable below Ujiri’s management, and this group will proceed to be constructed by Ujiri’s imaginative and prescient. On the similar time, he could have solely two years left to show that this group can instantly grow to be a championship contender. In any other case, Ujiri could not return to the group he has helped run since 2013.