Masai Ujiri agrees to multi-year contract to stay with Raptors

Toronto’s beloved front office executive is staying put for the foreseeable future.

Masai Ujiri has signed a new multi-year deal to become the team’s vice-chairman and president. The Raptors released a video on social media with Ujiri saying he is “here to stay” with the team and also lays out the philanthropic work he aims to continue doing.

“I love being the leader of the Toronto Raptors, and I am here to stay,” Ujiri said through a team statement and video.

Ujiri’s status with the Raptors was ambiguous for months, with his contract set to expire this year. There was always a sense of anxiousness that another team could swoop in. The Washington Wizards, for example, made a run at Ujiri in the past, and there was industry speculation that if the Los Angeles Clippers had been knocked out of the playoffs as quickly as last season, standing pat would have required more patience than Steve Ballmer – the wealthiest owner in professional sports – could muster.

But Sportsnet’s Michael Grange reported recently that Ujiri was expected to stay in Toronto, leading to the official announcement on Thursday.

“Home. What does home mean to you? For me, home is where it all starts,” Ujiri said. “…Toronto, you inspire me. We have missed you. We can’t wait to be back. Your resilience has been unbelievable. I know it’s been tough. You came together to fight a virus. Together, we are facing the truths of racial injustice and systemic inequality.”

Ujiri, widely considered one of the best executives in the NBA, arrived in Toronto in 2013 after winning NBA Executive of the Year honours as the general manager of the Denver Nuggets and helped transform the Raptors into an NBA contender and global franchise.

“Masai and MLSE share the goals of bringing another NBA Championship to Toronto, and off the court, working toward making our city, country and world a better place,” said Larry Tanenbaum, the chairman of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), in a statement.

“These are exciting times, and we look forward to all that comes next for our team, for Masai and for his family.”

Ujiri kept Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan in Toronto through multiple contract extensions and was the architect of the trade that sent Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors en route to the 2019 NBA title.

The Raptors have won six division titles to go along with seven playoff appearances under Ujiri’s watch, eclipsing the 50-win mark on five separate occasions.

“There’s a lot more work to be done,” Ujiri adds in the video. “On the court, our goal is clear. Win. It’s simple. Win. Bring another championship to Toronto… We will bring young talent to this city and continue to build with our unbelievable players. I’ve said it before and I will say it again: We will win in Toronto.”

In 2003, Ujiri founded Giants of Africa to discover basketball talent. The first Giants of Africa camp was held in Nigeria.

Ujiri has served as director of the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders Africa program, promoting basketball throughout the continent.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this team. I love being the leader of the Toronto Raptors and I am here to stay.”

MLSE deserves much credit in getting deal done: Grange

As reaction pours in following news of Ujiri’s new contract to stay in Toronto, Sportsnet’s Michael Grange says he’s impressed with how MLSE handled negotiations.

“There was a very conscious choice by people within MLSE, people who are responsible for making this deal happen, to give Masai Ujiri all the time he needed,” Grange said.

“There was never, ever an ounce of this had to happen, let’s get this done… It was always full respect to the man and we’ll get this done with a timetable that works.”

Grange credits Tanenbaum, who has worked closely with Ujiri for years.

“…In a market that is so competitive, the NBA, I think having a personality and a presence like Masai Ujiri with your team still is important, I think it helps.”


With files from Sportsnet’s Michael Grange

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