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New York Times
14 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Masai Ujiri and the Raptors have split, but their success will impact Toronto forever
By parting ways with longtime executive Masai Ujiri, the Toronto Raptors have officially moved on from every major element of the most successful stretch in the franchise's 30-year history. No matter your thoughts on whether or not it was time for Ujiri to leave, it's hard to overstate his impact after turning the Raptors into an NBA champion with bold trades and sustained efforts to bring new talent to Toronto. But even the most successful teams must find a new path forward. In the Raptors' case, Ujiri's dismissal may not have been a shocker to many because the franchise has been facing a new direction for a while. Advertisement Since Toronto won the 2019 NBA Finals, the Raptors have sported the NBA's 20th-best win percentage (.475), missed the playoffs four times and parted ways with franchise stars Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam, along with key supporting players such as Serge Ibaka and O.G. Anunoby. They haven't finished with more than 41 wins in three seasons and have since replaced those aforementioned pillars with a core led by a 23-year-old Scottie Barnes, 25-year-old RJ Barrett, 26-year-old Immanuel Quickley and 27-year-old Brandon Ingram, the trade-deadline acqusition who has yet to suit up for the Raptors but signed a three-year extension with the team. Under Ujiri, the Raptors were led by head coaches Dwane Casey, Nick Nurse and Darko Rajaković. The Raptors missed the playoffs in each of their first two seasons under Rajaković but went 13-14 after last season's All-Star break, despite several injuries, including Ingram's. By moving on from Ujiri, who, as our own Eric Koreen explains, faced an uncertain future with the Raptors at various points during his 12-year tenure, Toronto will seek to add new successful chapters in its basketball history. Before the Raptors move on, let's examine a timeline of Ujiri's path to running Toronto's show and molding a champion. If you feel there are any glaring omissions, feel free to add and discuss in the comments. 2003 — Ujiri became an international scout for the Denver Nuggets after working in a similar role with the Orlando Magic. 2007 — The Raptors, led by Bryan Colangelo, hired Ujiri into their front office as director of international scouting. He became Toronto's assistant general manager by 2008. 2010 — On Aug. 27, Ujiri returned to the Nuggets as general manager and executive vice president for basketball operations, becoming the first African general manager in major American sports. The Nuggets went 50-32 during his first full season overseeing the franchise. Advertisement 2013 — On May 9, he was named NBA's Executive of the Year for the 2012-13 season, during which Denver won 57 games (tied for its most since joining the NBA via merger with ABA in 1976). 2013 — On May 31, Ujiri re-joined the Raptors as executive vice president and general manager on a five-year, $15 million deal. 2013 — On July 10, the Raptors traded Andrea Bargnani to the New York Knicks for Marcus Camby, Steve Novak, Quentin Richardson, a 2016 first-round pick (used to select Jakob Poeltl ninth) and two second-round picks. 2013 — The Raptors entered Dec. 9 with a record of 7-12 to begin the 2013-14 season. That day, Ujiri traded Rudy Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray to the Sacramento Kings for Chuck Hayes, Patrick Patterson, John Salmons and Greivis Vásquez. Toronto had the NBA's fourth-best record (41-22, .651 win percentage) en route to the first of a franchise-record seven consecutive playoff berths. The Raptors finished 48-34, then the best record in team history. 2014 — On April 19, during a fan rally for the Raptors' first-round series against the Brooklyn Nets, Ujiri shouted 'F— Brooklyn!' to the crowd, for which he apologized. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver fined Ujiri $25,000 for the incident. 2014 — With the 20th pick, the Raptors took Brazilian forward Bruno Caboclo, a relative unknown who memorably caused ESPN international basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla to declare that Caboclo was 'two years away from being two years away.' Caboclo played just 25 games over three-plus years with the Raptors before Ujiri traded him to Sacramento in 2017. He played for the Kings, Grizzlies and Rockets before leaving the league, but he has put together a solid international career. 2015 — On April 18, at a postseason fan rally, Ujiri said, 'We don't give a s— about it!' in response to the Washington Wizards' Paul Pierce saying the Raptors didn't have an 'it' factor. Silver fined Ujiri $35,000 and the Raptors organization $25,000. Ujiri apologized for the comments. Advertisement 2016 — For the 2015-16 season, the Raptors notched the first 50-win season in team history (56-26 mark, finishing one game behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, the eventual NBA champions, for first in the East) as Kyle Lowry secured his first career All-NBA nod (Third Team). Toronto reached its first-ever conference final, losing to LeBron James' Cavaliers in six games. 2016 — On June 23, Ujiri and the Raptors drafted New Mexico State's Pascal Siakam, who was born in Cameroon, 27th in the 2016 NBA Draft. He was assigned to the franchise's G League affiliate, Raptors 905, as a rookie. Siakam led Raptors 905 to the G League title that season, averaging 23 points and nine rebounds in the finals en route to MVP honors. 2017 — Led by DeMar DeRozan's All-NBA season (Third Team), Toronto won 51 games in the 2016-17 season but were swept in East semifinals by the Cavaliers. 2017 — The Raptors drafted Indiana forward O.G. Anunoby 23rd in the 2017 NBA Draft. 2018 — During the 2017-18 season, the Raptors set a franchise record with 59 wins as Dwane Casey won NBA Coach of the Year honors. The Raptors fired Casey shortly after the 2018 playoffs, which ended with the Raptors' third consecutive postseason elimination by the Cavaliers, another sweep. Ujiri promoted Toronto assistant Nick Nurse to head coach. 2018 — On July 18, Ujiri traded DeRozan, Poeltl and a top-20-protected 2019 first-round pick to the San Antonio Spurs for Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green and cash. In 60 regular-season games during his lone season as a Raptor, Leonard averaged 26.6 points, which remains the third-highest single-season mark in team history, trailing only peak Vince Carter (27.6 in 2000-01) and DeRozan (27.3 in 2016-17). 2018 — On Nov. 28, during Peace Week, Ujiri was awarded the first-ever President's Peace Medal presented by YMCA of Greater Toronto. Advertisement 2019 — On Feb. 7, the Raptors acquired Marc Gasol from the Grizzlies in exchange for Jonas Valančiūnas, C.J. Miles, Delon Wright and a 2024 second-round pick. Down the stretch of the 2018-19 regular season, Gasol appeared in 25 games for the Raptors, shooting 44.2 percent from deep, ranking second on the team in rebounds (6.6 per game), second in blocks (0.9 per game) and third in assists (4.0 per game). The Raptors were 17.6 points per 100 possessions better when Gasol was on the floor in his 629 minutes to close the regular season than when he sat. 2019 — On June 24, Siakam was named Most Improved Player for the 2018-19 season, during which he averaged 16.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists after averaging six points across his first 136 NBA games. He earned an All-Star nod and Second Team All-NBA selection by the next season. 2019 — On June 13, the Raptors clinched their first NBA championship, beating the Golden State Warriors 4-2 in that year's finals. Leonard, who won the 2014 NBA Finals MVP as a member of the Spurs, joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Lakers, Bucks) and LeBron James (Cavaliers, Heat) as the only players to win finals MVP honors with multiple teams. Leonard's 732 points for the 2019 playoffs trail only Michael Jordan (759 in 1992) and James (748 in 2018) for the highest-scoring playoff run by any player in NBA history. 2019 — Moments after the 2019 title was secured, Ujiri was seen on video getting into an altercation with a sheriff's deputy. It was alleged by Sgt. Ray Kelly, a spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriff's Department, that Ujiri failed to show proper credentials for floor access, shoved a sheriff's deputy and made contact with his face. Lowry eventually came over to escort Ujiri onto the court for the Raptors' celebration. Ujiri disputed the account, saying the sheriff's deputy initiated and escalated the confrontation. Both parties filed lawsuits against the other. Both lawsuits were dropped by February 2021. The story of the greatest players in NBA history. In 100 riveting profiles, top basketball writers justify their selections and uncover the history of the NBA in the process. The story of the greatest players in NBA history. 2020 — After losing Leonard in free agency, the Raptors went 53-19 for the 2019-20 season, the year was interrupted and shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Their title defense ended in the second round of the playoffs, losing to the Boston Celtics in seven games. 2021 — For the 2020-21 season, the Raptors had their lowest win total since Ujiri took over (going 27-45 and finishing 12th in the East) and hosted home games in Tampa, Fla., due to travel restrictions between the United States and Canada as the pandemic continued. On July 28, the team drafted Florida State's Scottie Barnes fourth, with the Raptors having moved up from seventh in the lottery. 2021 — On Aug. 6, the Raptors signed Lowry to a new contract to complete a sign-and-trade with the Miami Heat for Precious Achiuwa and Goran Dragić. Advertisement 2021 — Ujiri signed a five-year contract with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. 2022 — The Raptors went 48-34 for the 2021-22 season but were eliminated in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers. It was the last time the Raptors finished above .500 2023 — On April 21, the Raptors fired Nurse as head coach, leading to Rajaković, who spent time as an assistant for the Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns and Oklahoma City Thunder, taking over the role. 2023 — On June 30, Ujiri was named an Officer of the Order of Canada. 2023 — On Dec. 30, the Raptors traded Anunoby, Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn to the Knicks for Barrett, Quickley and a 2024 second-round pick. 2024 — On Jan. 17, the Raptors traded Siakam for Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora and three future first-round picks. 2024 — On July 8, the Raptors and Quickley, a restricted free agent, agreed to a five-year, $175 million contract. On the same day, Barnes signed a five-year, $224.2 million extension. 2025 — On Feb. 6, Ujiri acquired Ingram from the Pelicans in exchange for Brown, Kelly Olynyk, a 2026 first-round pick and a 2031 second-rounder. On Feb. 12, the Raptors and Ingram agreed to a three-year, $120 million contract extension, which includes a player option for 2027-28 2025 — Toronto finished the 2024-25 season with a 30-52 record and missed the playoffs for the third consecutive year, marking the longest such streak under Ujiri. 2025 — On June 25, the Raptors selected South Carolina forward Collin Murray-Boyles with the ninth pick of the 2025 NBA Draft. 2025 — On Friday, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment parted ways with Ujiri. During his tenure overseeing the franchise, the Raptors had the NBA's fifth-highest win percentage (.565) as they secured almost twice as many playoff berths in 12 seasons under Ujiri's leadership (eight) than the five they clinched in 18 seasons prior. ( Photo: Dan Hamilton / USA Today Network via Imagn Images )
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Draft 2025: Did the Hornets reach for Kon Knueppel? And why the Spurs did the right thing with Dylan Harper
The first round of the 2025 NBA Draft is officially in the books, and with the second round projecting as one big, enormous "meh," it's probably fair to say the most exciting part of the draft has now passed. (This raises the question of whether the NBA should continue with the two-day draft format. It's two rounds, for Pete's sake!) Advertisement With the first round concluded, thoughts are gathered. Good thoughts, bad thoughts, critical thoughts, and whatever thoughts I had when Pelicans head honcho Joe Dumars decided to make himself a villain in this story. So, let's get to it. Love Collin Murray-Boyles, hate the Raptors fit Murray-Boyles fits virtually everywhere, due to his playmaking upside, defensive impact and bully-ball capabilities on the offensive end. In my eyes, we're talking about a guy who stands a good chance at being a top 3-5 player from this draft. Yet, the Raptors might be the lone place where the do-it-all power forward won't be able to spread his wings. Advertisement The organization traded for, and later extended, Brandon Ingram at the deadline, while already being in possession of Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett. That's three players best suited to play small forward who will have to steal significant minutes at the four out of sheer necessity. Murray-Boyles played a lot of center at South Carolina, but at 6-foot-7 that's probably not something he can get away with at the NBA level, at least not permanently. So that avenue isn't super attractive. Of course, free agency has yet to hit us, so perhaps team president Masai Ujiri has something up his sleeve to move players around. But we can only go off the current roster construction, and that's certainly not optimized for someone like Murray-Boyles. Great value at No. 9, but the projected implementation looks worrying to say the least. Let's talk Kon Knueppel For a while now, I've been skeptical of whether the sweet-shooting wing should be a top-5 selection. Advertisement The shooting upside is indeed ridiculous: 40.6% from 3-point range and 91.4% from the foul line. But what will the role be? If he's to become primarily an off-ball shooter, picking him fourth is high, to the point where you have to wonder if Charlotte trading down would have made more sense, perhaps to target Tre Johnson or another alternative. Knueppel will essentially have to become a No. 2 guy, or at worst a supercharged tertiary option, to justify that draft slot — not that where he's picked is within his control, of course. Does the 6-5 wing with the T-Rex wingspan have it in him to consistently create on the ball at the NBA level? Guess we'll find out. I'm rooting for him to silence my skepticism because I actually like him a great deal. "Sometimes, the playbook is easy." — The San Antonio Spurs, probably While we can't credit them for the quote above, the Spurs did indeed stick to a simple playbook by doing two simple things. Advertisement 1. They kept their picks 2. They chose the best player available Instead of getting concerned about fit, at No. 2 they grabbed Dylan Harper, a 6-6 lead guard with All-NBA upside who projects as a wonderful building block with Victor Wembanyama. Harper's shooting concerns (33.3% from longe range) could have seen a lesser franchise chicken out of the selection, but the Spurs trust their coaching staff and their process. Oh, right, at No. 14 they also took Carter Bryant, who should immediately enter the rotation based on his 3&D capabilities. Bryant was not only the best player left on the board, but also the best theoretical fit for San Antonio. Unsurprisingly, the Spurs are already winners. Oh, Joe. Oh, honey, no. No, no, no. What are you doing? Look, every new lead executive wants to make a splash, but this isn't how you do it. Advertisement Joe Dumars, who recently took over day-to-day operations of the Pelicans, came out swinging aggressively and ending up smacking himself right in the face with his own bat. After acquiring No. 23 from Indiana during the Finals — and giving back the Pacers' own pick next season — he was already behind the curve, with Tyrese Haliburton tearing his Achilles and likely missing all of next season. Had Dumars waited until after the Finals, he would have seen how much more valuable the pick is now. But no, he made sure to lose the next deal as well, which also featured No. 23, just to streamline things. Advertisement Dumars sent that selection, plus an unprotected 2026 first-round pick swap — the best of New Orleans' own or Milwaukee's — to the Atlanta Hawks for No. 13. Yes, he traded away a potentially juicy pick, entirely unprotected, just to move up 10 spots in the draft. Let's pause there and acknowledge that type of package should fetch far more than just the 13th friggin' selection. That's a package that gets you into the high lottery, potentially in the top 5-6 range. If that wasn't bad enough, Dumars spent his selection on Derik Queen, a center who doesn't defend nor shoot 3-pointers. In the year 2025. Advertisement My great colleague Dan Devine called this "interesting" because he's a polite and proper human being. I'm not. Dumars just took a sledgehammer to the future flexibility of the Pelicans, solely to have the opportunity to be outrageously optimistic on a player who goes against where the NBA is headed. For this to work, Queen has to become an absolute star. And even if he does, the process is so egregious, Pelicans fans should have every right to attend games next year wearing paper bags over their heads. With Dumars at the helm, odds are good the Pelicans will paint themselves completely into a corner and lose whatever fan interest is left. I absolutely love Oklahoma City going with Sorber We don't know what the future holds for Isaiah Hartenstein, who might become too expensive to retain down the line, and Chet Holmgren tends to get injured. Advertisement Strengthening the center rotation is never a bad idea, and the Thunder just got one of the best damn big men in the draft at No. 15. Sorber is 6-11 and has a 7-6 wingspan. He's also 263 pounds. Basically, he's an enormous human being. More than that, though, he's agile, has surprisingly solid mobility, and he leans into doing the so-called "big-man stuff," such as rebounding (8.5 per game), blocking shots (two per game) and generally protecting the paint. Rock solid bit of business there by the Thunder. The Bulls taketh, the Bulls giveth away Oh, Bulls. At the very least, your indifference about everything remains the same year after year. Advertisement At No. 12 the team chose Frenchman Noa Essengue, who is just 18 years old. That would surely signal a willingness to think long term, right? Well, the Bulls traded No. 45 for No. 55 and cash Thursday, once again underlining how their process is never about basketball, but instead about the bottom line. Any good team worth its salt will look under every rock and scour the world for talent. The Bulls are fine just picking whomever drops to them and then save money. There's no added effort. There's no expansive search for a difference-maker. As such, it shouldn't come as a surprise general manager Marc Eversley more or less admitted the same team will return next year in his end-of-season new conference. Get ready to revisit the play-in, Bulls fans. Aren't you excited?
National Post
2 days ago
- Sport
- National Post
How Raptors first-round draft pick Collin Murray-Boyles fits in Toronto
Collin Murray-Boyles cleared up his viral reaction to being drafted by the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday and now it's time to clear up how he should fit on the team starting next season. Article content Murray-Boyles, the former South Carolina star considered by some as the best off-ball defender in the draft, chiefly brings that skill to the table. Article content Article content Toronto will prioritize aggressive, disruptive defensive schemes and Murray-Boyles is an ideal fit in that regard. A master of blowing up plays with steals and deflections, Murray-Boyles should complement Scottie Barnes, who at times last year flashed all-defensive potential. Article content He can also maintain some of the disruptive qualities Barnes provides when the team's star is resting on the bench. Article content Raptors assistant general manger Dan Tolzman had said earlier this week that the team was looking for players who would be able to thrive in the playoffs when things get more physical. They want strong and smart players and Murray-Boyles is both. His defensive IQ is considered top level, he's a great competitor and a hard worker. Article content It's less clear how he fits on the other end, but head coach Darko Rajakovic likes multi-skilled players who can make quick decisions and Murray-Boyles fits the bill there as well. Article content Perhaps they try to let him bully small forwards or out-quick centres at times, even if power forward is his natural spot. Article content 'I think at the defensive end, he can guard all over,' Raptors general manager Bobby Webster said after the draft's first round. 'What's the natural fit on the offensive end? I think we'll see. I think he handles the ball well. He does a lot of things. You see sort of Darko does in his offence: Dribble handoffs, sort of operate from the top, pass well. So we think he fits sort of on both ends.' Article content The long-time Toronto GM said they had Murray-Boyles ranked higher than where he went (as did many draft evaluators in the public sphere). Article content 'We had our eye on him going into the season. Elite defence, versatile, good hands. He has a chance to be a really, really good defender in the NBA.' Article content On offence, shooting will be the swing skill for Murray-Boyles, the difference between Toronto getting a decent starter, a strong reserve or a potential high-impact starter. Article content While he led the SEC in field goal and effective field goal percentage, Murray-Boyles almost exclusively got two-point buckets, only attempting 34 three-pointers in 32 games, making just 26.5% of them. Keep in mind the NCAA three-point line is closer than the NBA one, so there's lots of work to be done on his outside shooting. Article content Murray-Boyles told us he has been working extremely hard on his jump shot and now will get into the Toronto system, which has had some success in the past (most notably recently with Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby and, to some degree, with Barnes, though he took several steps backward there last season). He already went from just five three-point attempts as a freshman to one or so per game as a sophomore.
National Post
4 days ago
- Sport
- National Post
Toronto Raptors will have plenty of options with ninth pick in NBA draft
The NBA draft is imminent, which mean the rumour mill is in overdrive even with three big trades already completed. Article content Desmond Bane, Kevin Durant and now Jrue Holiday and Anfernee Simons got moved, and the fun won't stop there. Article content Article content The Raptors, with a wide-open East, a mismatched roster and some salary-cap concerns moving forward, would like to do something and still might. Article content Assistant general manager Dan Tolzman met with media Monday and reiterated the team plans to take the best player available Wednesday, despite only having Jakob Poeltl at centre and just Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram as legitimate options at power forward (Ingram is the likely starting small forward, but in his all-star season with New Orleans spent 75% of his time at power forward and has played it 21% of the time over his career, per Article content Tolzman said rookie big men often aren't ready to contribute right away, reinforcing the idea of just take the best player available. Article content Article content If the Raptors stay at nine, they should have some decent options. Few expect any of Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe, Kon Knueppel or Ace Bailey to still be on the board, but there's a chance at least one of scoring guard Tre Johnson, young but immensely talented point guard Jeremiah Fears, or giant Duke centre Khaman Maluach will be available. Article content Fears would fit a need (high upside paint finisher) for a team that only has Immanuel Quickley (injured for much of last season) and Jamal Shead at the position. Maluach would as well. Article content Toronto could also consider Lithuanian point guard Kasparas Jakucionis (they've had success with big Lithuanians before), who is not a high-level NBA athlete, but has size, nice shooting touch and a great feel for the game. Article content Article content It's also possible the team gambles on a high-upside wing like Cedric Coward or Carter Bryant, or trade down for a centre like Derik Queen or Thomas Sorber plus other assets. Article content If Toronto trades down, it can duck under the luxury tax. Picking at nine would leave the team just over the tax, with other players still to be signed, though they'd have all season to find a way out of the tax if needed since it isn't calculated until the end of the campaign.
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Raptors Refusing to Include Key Player in Kevin Durant Trade Talks: Report
Raptors Refusing to Include Key Player in Kevin Durant Trade Talks: Report originally appeared on Athlon Sports. As the NBA enters the offseason the key storyline has been the next landing spot for Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant. Advertisement Of course, the Suns are expected to move on from Durant this offseason as they try to rebuild their roster around Devin Booker and bounce back after another disappointing season that saw them miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-20 campaign. With Durant likely to be on the move, there have been many teams linked to the future Hall of Famer. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Miami Heat have emerged as Durant's preferred landing spots this summer. Despite this, there have been other teams involved in trade talks with the Suns for Durant, including the Toronto Raptors. Advertisement For the Raptors, adding Durant next to their core of Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes could help them turn things around and contend in the Eastern Conference next season. Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant gestures to the referee for a foul call against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Hamilton-Imagn Images While that may be the case, a report that came out on Friday suggests that the Raptors may be out on the Durant sweepstakes as they are unwilling to include one of their key players in trade talks. According to SportsNet's Michael Grange, the Raptors are refusing to include center Jakob Poeltl in trade talks for Durant. This is a massive report by Grange and one that has a massive impact on a potential trade between the Suns and Raptors that would send Durant to Toronto. Advertisement Of course, the Suns struggled with their center position last season and there is no doubt that they would want Poeltl in a trade with the Raptors as he would be a massive upgrade to their frontcourt. Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) and forward Scottie Barnes (4).© Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Poeltl is an elite rim protector and he has also improved offensively over the past few seasons, which would be a massive upgrade next to Booker in the starting lineup. Despite this, it appears that the Raptors are unwilling to include the 29-year-old big man in trade talks, which may cost them a shot at landing Durant this offseason. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
