Trying again at strikes that outlined Masai Ujiri’s tenure with Raptors
Masai Ujiri is a reputation that carries immense weight within the international basketball group, in Canada and within the metropolis of Toronto.
And for good motive. After the primary 18 years of the Toronto Raptors’ existence have been marred by disappointment and the departure of superstars, Ujiri steered the franchise out of a few of its darkest days into a brand new, affluent period.
Previous to Ujiri taking the helm, the franchise report was 581-847. That they had made solely 5 playoff appearances, by no means making it previous the Jap Convention semifinals. The Zaria, Nigeria-raised govt matched and exceeded these 5 playoff appearances proper out of the gate, making the playoffs in his first seven consecutive seasons. Toronto made a memorable run to the Jap Convention Finals in 2016, and all of it culminated in successful the 2019 NBA Championship.
Ujiri’s story is singular. After beginning as a scout for the Nuggets after which the Raptors, he was finally employed as common supervisor in Denver, changing into the primary and solely African common supervisor of knowledgeable sports activities franchise in North America. He returned to Toronto to take the GM position in 2013 and rose to president after the Convention Finals run in 2016, all whereas working because the president and co-founder of Giants of Africa to offer basketball infrastructure and alternative to youth all through the continent.
His tenure as Toronto’s lead basketball govt was outlined by a capability to encourage religion in Toronto’s basketball group, his outspoken want to win and a number of shrewd strikes that set the Raptors up for fulfillment. Ujiri even gained a status as somebody to keep away from coping with on account of his tendency to win trades, a few of which undoubtedly led the Raptors to their biggest period in franchise historical past.
Let’s look again on a few of these strikes that can outline the Ujiri period.
Ujiri’s first transfer after taking on the decision-making was a convincing success, and one with a commerce tree that extends all the best way to the championship (extra on that later).
The commerce: July 10, 2013
New York Knicks obtain: Andrea Bargnani
Toronto Raptors obtain: Steve Novak, Marcus Camby, Quentin Richardson, 2016 first-round decide, 2014 second-round decide, 2017 second-round decide
The Raptors would find yourself waiving Camby and Richardson, basically getting Toronto out of the $22 million they owed Bargnani over the subsequent two seasons.
It was a house run for the Raptors and a catastrophe for the Knicks. Toronto’s first-overall decide in 2006, Bargnani averaged 19.2 factors throughout his three-season peak in Toronto, but was coming off a season the place he averaged solely 12.7 factors and three.7 rebounds whereas taking part in solely 35 video games. The Italian ahead went on to play solely 71 video games over two dropping seasons with the Knicks, averaging 13.9 factors and 4.9 rebounds, removed from the manufacturing anticipated of a participant traded for a first-round decide. Bargnani performed a remaining half-season in Brooklyn earlier than ending his basketball profession in Europe.
In the meantime, the Raptors’ return wound up being essential to their future success. Whereas Novak’s single season in Toronto and the second-round decide (Xavier Thames) had little to no impression on the workforce’s trajectory, the first-round decide was used to draft Jakob Poeltl ninth total in 2016. A promising prospect and integral a part of Toronto’s ‘Bench Mob’, Poeltl was a powerful depth contributor within the two profitable seasons previous to the championship. Then he made a unique sort of contribution, getting traded to the San Antonio Spurs alongside DeMar DeRozan and a first-round decide for Danny Inexperienced and Kawhi Leonard.
It was the commerce that saved on giving, as yet one more wrinkle proved important to Toronto’s dominance within the 2010s. It helped the Raptors hold Kyle Lowry.
Lowry, affectionately known as the G.R.O.A.T. (Best Raptor of all time), was on the verge of being dealt to the identical Knicks after Toronto began the 2013-14 season 6-12. The feisty six-foot level guard was initially set on leaving Toronto after being dealt to the Raptors the season earlier than Ujiri’s arrival. And although it appeared his needs can be granted, the Knicks proprietor pulled the rug out from below the deal.
“James Dolan is available in and says, ‘Look, I am not doing this deal as a result of Masai Ujiri is on the opposite finish of the telephone. I do not need to appear to be an fool,'” Michael Grange mentioned within the Sportsnet documentary Raptors Delight.
The Bargnani commerce wasn’t the primary deal that Ujiri made (and received) with Dolan and the Knicks. Whereas in Denver, he despatched Carmelo Anthony to the Massive Apple for a return together with Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton and a first-round decide that in the end turned Jamal Murray. The commerce was thought-about a win for the Nuggets on the time and solely swung additional of their favour with age.
Humorous sufficient, Dolan’s hesitancy in coping with Ujiri value him Lowry, the linchpin of the Raptors’ run as contenders and eventual champions.
After all, you’ll be able to’t revisit the Raptors’ glory years with out mentioning the transfer that began all of it.
The commerce: Dec. 8, 2013
Sacramento Kings obtain: Rudy Homosexual, Quincy Acy, Aaron Grey
Toronto Raptors obtain: Patrick Patterson, John Salmons, Chuck Hayes, Greivis Vásquez.
It appeared innocuous sufficient on the time, with the Raptors transferring a participant in Homosexual who occupied related areas on the ground as their rising younger star DeRozan.
Prompted by the identical poor begin that almost triggered them to commerce Lowry, the perfect participant within the deal being dealt away appeared to sign the beginning of a rebuild for the Raptors with a powerful Andrew Wiggins-led draft class on the horizon. However DeRozan and Lowry had different plans. After the abysmal 6-12 begin, the buying and selling away of Homosexual and the near-trade of Lowry, the workforce went 42-22 over the rest of the season.
Not solely did the commerce catalyze the workforce’s spirit, nevertheless it additionally bore fruit sooner or later. After a profitable two-season stint because the Raptors’ backup level guard, averaging an an identical 9.5 factors and three.7 assists every season, Vásquez was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in alternate for a second-round decide in 2015 (Norman Powell) and a first-round decide in 2017 (OG Anunoby).
A string of late-draft sleepers
Powell was a key bench piece for the Raptors, delivering each microwave scoring and large moments — his unforgettable “Superman” slam punctuating a Recreation 5 comeback victory and eventual first-round sequence win over the Indiana Pacers in 2016.
And whereas Anunoby was injured for the Raptors’ precise run to the title, he contributed lots through the years, all through the championship season and past. The ahead’s game-winning shot in opposition to the Boston Celtics within the bubble and subsequent “I don’t shoot attempting to overlook” quote is one other all-time Raptors second.
Ujiri additionally will get credit score for main the front-office group that determined to draft not solely Anunoby (twenty third total) and Powell (forty sixth total), but in addition Pascal Siakam (twenty seventh total).
Every participant would assuredly be picked a lot larger in a re-draft of their class, and Fred VanVleet’s addition as an undrafted free agent in 2016, together with Siakam and Poeltl, took the expression “discovering a diamond within the tough” to an entire new stage.
With a sterling report on each trades and draft picks, seven straight playoff appearances and the final word prize, it was a golden period for each Ujiri and the Raptors.
The commerce: July 18, 2018
San Antonio Spurs obtain: DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl, protected 2019 first-round decide
Toronto Raptors obtain: Kawhi Leonard, Danny Inexperienced
Regardless of making the playoffs in 5 consecutive seasons and cementing themselves as an Jap Convention superpower, Ujiri wasn’t happy going into the 2018-19 season — the Raptors had been eradicated by LeBron James’s Cleveland Cavaliers in three straight seasons.
What adopted was nonetheless a shock, as he fired reigning coach of the yr Dwane Casey and changed him with longtime assistant Nick Nurse. Then got here the true doozy.
Ujiri traded the longest-tenured Raptor, who was additionally the franchise’s all-time main scorer and the chief of essentially the most profitable interval within the workforce’s historical past, for a star with one yr remaining on his contract. Leonard was identified to be mercurial, and it was uncertain — inconceivable even — that he would re-sign. It was remarkably daring, the final word gamble.
The Raptors received all of it, toppling a Golden State Warriors dynasty in a storybook season. Leonard received his second NBA Finals MVP and set new profession highs in factors (26.6) and rebounds (7.3). Alex McKechnie saved him wholesome and the time period “load administration” was born.
Then, in fact, he left. The chance for a repeat wasn’t sufficient to dissuade “Board Man” from returning house to Los Angeles as he signed together with his hometown Clippers. Nonetheless, it’s secure to say that any Raptors fan would make the commerce once more 10 instances out of 10. It was a enjoyable yr with a enjoyable man.
No commerce can prime the Leonard deal. It’s unquestionably a very powerful commerce in Raptors historical past and the defining transfer of Ujiri’s tenure. But, there was one other transfer pivotal to bringing a Larry O’Brien trophy to Toronto.
The commerce: Feb. 7, 2019
Memphis Grizzlies obtain: Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, C.J. Miles, second-round decide
Toronto Raptors obtain: Marc Gasol
The Raptors don’t get previous Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers within the second spherical, or Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks within the Jap Convention Finals, with out Gasol anchoring them defensively. Gasol’s efforts — together with holding Embiid below 20 factors in 5 of the seven video games within the sequence and serving to construct a defensive wall in opposition to Antetokounmpo — have change into the stuff of legends.
To get the transfer executed, the Raptors included Valanciunas, a centre that the workforce drafted and developed right into a priceless expertise, together with one other savvy late choice by Ujiri and firm, Delon Wright (twentieth total). The sort of development, cascading a late draft decide or participant with restricted worth right into a key contributor, was one of many defining options of Ujiri’s time period as Toronto’s lead basketball govt.
After turning the Raptors into one of many NBA’s mannequin franchises over the course of seven seasons, it took a world pandemic to sluggish Ujiri’s roll.
As soon as the Raptors have been eradicated within the 2020 bubble by the Celtics — partly due to Siakam’s struggles after being unable to correctly practice for 5 months on account of COVID-19 restrictions and visa points — they have been compelled to make a transfer from Toronto to Tampa for the whole 2020-21 season.
Gasol (Lakers) and Serge Ibaka (Clippers) didn’t be a part of them at Amalie Enviornment as they’d moved on to different groups, and Aron Baynes and Alex Len proved to be inadequate replacements. One misplaced yr performed in an unfamiliar setting in entrance of digital followers later and Lowry was gone too.
After a string of hits that may trigger the Beatles envy, Ujiri began to overlook.
The commerce: March 25, 2021
Portland Path Blazers obtain: Norman Powell
Toronto Raptors obtain: Gary Trent Jr., Rodney Hood
First, Powell went to Portland for Gary Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood. Trent was youthful and stuffed with promise, however by no means developed a lot of a recreation past his shot and finally went on to the Bucks in free company forward of the 2024-25 season on a veteran minimal, in the meantime Powell has averaged over 20 factors in two separate seasons for the Clippers, most just lately setting a profession excessive of 21.8 factors per recreation and beginning all through the playoffs.
The commerce: Feb. 10, 2022
San Antonio Spurs obtain: Goran Dragic, Drew Eubanks, protected 2022 first-round decide
Toronto Raptors obtain: Thaddeus Younger, 2022 second-round decide
Dragic, a part of the return for Lowry, hardly suited up for the Raptors earlier than being dealt to the Spurs for Younger. As a part of the deal, Toronto additionally swapped their twenty fifth decide within the 2022 draft for a thirty third decide from San Antonio. They drafted Cristian Koloko at No. 33, two picks after Andrew Nembhard went to the Indiana Pacers. And whereas there’s no assure the Raptors would have chosen Nembhard had they not moved again, it lives on as an enormous “what if?”.
The commerce: Feb. 9, 2023
San Antonio Spurs obtain: Khem Birch, protected 2024 first-round decide, 2023 second-round decide, 2025 second-round decide
Toronto Raptors obtain: Jakob Poeltl
After making the questionable resolution to maneuver again in a draft whereas the Raptors resided in the course of the standings, Ujiri as soon as once more despatched out draft capital the subsequent season. The Raptors’ long-vacant centre place was stuffed by reuniting with Poeltl in alternate for a first-round decide.
Even when Toronto did have draft picks in recent times, they typically did not pan out. In an unlucky flip of occasions for the Raptors, Malachi Flynn was drafted one spot forward of Desmond Bane in 2020.
It hasn’t all been unhealthy. Selecting Scottie Barnes over Jalen Suggs at No. 4 within the 2021 draft has confirmed to be the proper selection. Gradey Dick and Ja’Kobe Walter, amongst others, have the potential to finish up as constructive choices.
Even final low season, Ujiri turned Jalen McDaniels, who hardly performed for the Raptors, into Davion Mitchell and two second-round picks that turned Jamal Shead and Alijah Martin. Then he traded Mitchell for one more second on the deadline, basically conjuring three picks out of skinny air.
Ujiri by no means misplaced his shrewdness, making constructive strikes across the margins. However his signature big-value additions had largely been absent all through the post-championship period.
Regardless, his legacy will dwell on as essentially the most profitable govt of a Toronto sports activities workforce within the final three a long time.
