The Toronto Raptors Are Keeping the Plan Just Not Masai Ujiri

There were basketball reasons to fire Masai Ujiri.

Since his last contract extension in 2021, the Toronto Raptors have gone 144–184 and missed the playoffs in three straight seasons. They mismanaged assets, losing Fred VanVleet for nothing, selling low on Pascal Siakam, and waiting too long to trade OG Anunoby. Their draft record has been inconsistent. Their contract decisions in free agency and extensions haven’t aged well. They made trades that felt ill-timed and ill-advised.

But Ujiri was not fired for those reasons.

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment did not cite the team’s recent struggles. There was no mention of underperformance or failed vision. On the surface, the message was clear. The Raptors are happy with their direction, their front office, their coaching staff, and their roster. The man who built their championship culture was simply no longer part of the plan.

The dismissal came suddenly on the Friday morning of a long weekend, less than 24 hours after the NBA Draft ended.

“Today’s not an easy day,” said MLSE President and CEO Keith Pelley. “Change is never easy. Masai Ujiri has had a monumental impact on the Raptors and on our community during his 13 seasons with this organization.”

Pelley said the two had been discussing the future for months. The decision was finalized in early June. At Ujiri’s request, he stayed on to help lead the draft. He remained involved, working closely with general manager Bobby Webster and offering his endorsement of No. 9 pick Collin Murray-Boyles.

“He said, ‘Murray-Boyles is going to be something special, Keith, and you’re going to enjoy watching him develop over many years to come,’” Pelley recalled of his conversation with Ujiri after the draft.

Asked directly whether the decision was financially motivated, Pelley offered a vague response.

“There are major factors that go into a decision this large,” he said. “But the primary reason in this case was the situation and where we currently are in basketball operations… the stability with our roster, stability with our front office, and the stability with our coaching staff.”

Asked if this was Edward Rogers’ decision, Pelley was clear: “This was my decision, supported by the board.”

Still, the ownership context is impossible to ignore. Ujiri was entering the final year of his contract. Rogers, who now holds majority control of MLSE, had reportedly been reluctant to approve his last extension, according to the Toronto Star. With longtime chairman Larry Tanenbaum stepping back and the power structure shifting, his departure had begun to feel inevitable.

MLSE has launched a formal search for a new team president, led by CAA Executive Search. The expectation is that the next hire will run basketball operations day to day, much like Ujiri did. It suggests a desire for continuity, but also a move toward cost control. The Raptors are looking for someone to do the same job, likely for less.

In the meantime, Webster remains in charge. He signed a contract extension earlier this offseason and will be considered for the role. The rest of the front office is staying in place.

“We are confident that the Raptors organization, under the guidance of Bobby and his team, is in a great place,” Pelley said. “They have a plan in place for next season and beyond.”

Ujiri has not yet spoken publicly about his departure, but Pelley said he expects that will happen in the coming days. When it does, it will mark the closing of one of the most influential executive tenures in Canadian sports history.

He did what few thought possible. He turned the Raptors into champions. He made the franchise matter on a global scale. He built a winning culture, raised expectations, and changed the conversation around basketball in Canada.

Now the Raptors are moving forward without him. They are betting on internal stability and the belief that someone else can provide the same leadership, likely at a lower cost.

Whoever takes the job will have big shoes to fill. Because even in a league that moves fast and forgets faster, what Ujiri built in Toronto will not be easily replaced.

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