Report: Toronto Raptors Promote Bobby Webster to Replace Masai Ujiri

The Toronto Raptors have settled on continuity.

After spending nearly two months exploring external options to replace Masai Ujiri, the organization has promoted Bobby Webster to lead basketball operations, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The decision follows an extensive search led by CAA Executive Search that saw Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment connect with a range of candidates. Chicago Bulls general manager Marc Eversley, Indiana Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan, former Raptors coach Dwane Casey, and former Sacramento Kings general manager Monte McNair were all linked to the process, per Sportsnet’s Michael Grange. Indiana president Kevin Pritchard, who guided the Pacers to the NBA Finals earlier this summer, was also believed to be on MLSE’s radar.

Ultimately, Toronto opted to stay in-house with Webster, who has been part of the organization since 2013 and general manager since 2017. Webster is highly regarded around the league as a cap expert and a steady voice in negotiations. He played a major role in the 2018 trade for Kawhi Leonard that delivered the franchise’s first and only NBA championship a year later.

“Bobby Webster is really respected around the league,” MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley said when announcing Ujiri’s dismissal in June. “He’s often been the spokesperson for key trades, key moves, free agency deals.”

While MLSE did its due diligence on external options, it was widely believed Webster was the frontrunner, a candidate who could provide both stability and continuity in the middle of a franchise rebuild. 

It remains unclear who will replace Webster as Toronto’s general manager. The most obvious internal candidate is assistant general manager Dan Tolzman, who has been with the organization for more than a decade and oversees scouting and player development. Toronto could also look outside the organization for a fresh voice to complement Webster.

For now, though, the Raptors have chosen familiarity. After a wide-ranging search that spanned much of the summer, the franchise has handed the keys to Webster, betting that his leadership will carry them into their next chapter.