The architect behind the Toronto Raptors’ only NBA title is out.
The Raptors are parting ways with Masai Ujiri, their vice chairman and president, the team announced Friday.
“During his 13 seasons with the Raptors, Masai has helped transform the organization on the court and has been an inspirational leader off it,” MLSE CEO Keith Pelley said in a statement. “He brought an NBA championship to Toronto and urged us to believe in this city, and ourselves. We are grateful for all he has done and wish him and his family the very best.”
Pelley also announced that the Raptors’ front office leadership remains in place, adding that general manager Bobby Webster received a contract extension. The terms of the deal have yet to be revealed.
Ujiri was entering the final year of his contract. The decision to dismiss the 2013 NBA Executive of the Year comes a day after the 2025 NBA Draft.
“Masai and I spoke over a month ago, and he asked that if a change were to happen, that it was post-draft. And that made the most sense,” Pelley told reporters during a Friday press conference, according to Omer Osman of Raptors Updates. “He’s prolific when it comes to the draft, and we’re grateful to have him as a person with Bobby leading our draft.”
Pelley also explained why he parted ways with Ujiri, pointing to “where we currently are in basketball operations” as the primary reason for the change.
“As I talked about the stability with our roster, the stability with our front office, and the stability with our coaching staff, that allowed us to make a decision to move forward,” Pelley added.
Ujiri, 54, originally joined the Raptors as vice president and general manager in 2013, officially becoming team president in ’16. Ujiri helped turn the franchise around, notably building the roster that won Toronto’s first NBA title in 2019.
The Raptors hadn’t won a playoff series since 2001 before Ujiri took over. With him in town, Toronto made eight postseason appearances while posting a 545-419 record, the fifth-highest winning percentage in the NBA since 2014.
Despite Ujiri’s successful stint, the Raptors have missed the playoffs in each of the past three seasons and finished with a losing record in both campaigns under head coach Darko Rajakovic, who was hired in 2023 to replace Nick Nurse. Toronto has won just one playoff series since lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
“As we plan for the franchise’s future, and its return to the NBA playoffs, a search for the successor as president of the Raptors, led by CAA Executive Search, will begin immediately,” Pelley said.
The Raptors selected forward Collin Murray-Boyles in the first round and guard Alijah Martin in Round 2 this year during Ujiri’s last draft with the franchise.
Pelley said Friday that Ujiri projects Murray-Boyles to be “something special” in the NBA.
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