Why Masai Ujiri was out as VC and President of Toronto Raptors after NBA Draft. Exploring potential reasons

Masai Ujiri on Thursday stepped down as the Vice Chairman and President of the Toronto Raptors

Updated on: Jun 27, 2025, 19:20:59 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Masai Ujiri on Thursday stepped down as the Vice Chairman and President of the Toronto Raptors, ESPN reported, citing sources. The report further added that Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and Ujiri have decided to part ways, as the executive was entering the final year of his contract.

Masai Ujiri and Toronto Raptors have parted ways (X)

This comes only hours after the NBA Draft concluded. Ujiri, who joined the Raptors in 2013 and signed a significant contract extension in 2021, was in the final year of his deal. His departure from a franchise he transformed into a global brand has sparked speculation about the reasons behind it.

While the Raptors or Ujiri have not issued a statement yet, we are listing potential reasons behind the massive move.

Ownership and organizational changes at MLSE

Ujiri’s exit aligns with significant shifts at MLSE, the Raptors’ parent company. In 2024, Bell Canada began selling its stake to Rogers Communications, giving Rogers majority control. This followed the departure of Brendan Shanahan as Toronto Maple Leafs president and Bill Manning as Toronto FC president, leaving Ujiri as MLSE’s last team president.

The restructuring, coupled with the exit of Larry Tanenbaum, a close ally who facilitated Ujiri’s past deals, may have strained his position.

Recent team performance

The Raptors’ lackluster performance post-2019 championship likely contributed. After a 30-52 record in 2024-25, marking three straight non-playoff seasons, Ujiri faced scrutiny over the team’s direction.

Despite successes like drafting Scottie Barnes (2021, No. 4) and trading for Brandon Ingram (2025), the Raptors remained 'tweeners'—neither contenders nor lottery-bound.

Other NBA teams?

Ujiri’s status as a sought-after executive may have influenced his departure. In May 2025, the Atlanta Hawks expressed interest in hiring him as president of basketball operations.

Other teams, including the Washington Wizards and New York Knicks, previously pursued him with lucrative offers, some nearing $10 million annually with ownership equity.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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