TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors had sufficient pleasure final week to final for months, perhaps years.
Parting methods with long-time president Masai Ujiri on Friday was a bombshell, even when the circumstances that led to Ujiri leaving the Raptors after 13 years with one 12 months left on his contract had been percolating virtually from the second he signed his five-year contract again in the summertime of 2021.
Conversely, the beginning of free company was fairly quiet across the group’s workplaces on the OVO Athletic Centre — however with all that occurred final week and all that it portends, having a gradual day won’t be the worst factor.
As had been predicted, the Raptors, who entered free company with three accessible roster spots and about $6 million of house below the $187.9-million luxurious tax threshold, weren’t main gamers after groups had been capable of signal free brokers as of 6 p.m. ET on Monday.
They weren’t even minor gamers, no offence to Garrett Temple, who — as had been predicted — signed a veteran minimal take care of Toronto, the group’s solely transaction on the opening day of free company. The 39-year-old will return for his sixteenth NBA season and third with the Raptors, serving as a residing, respiration, good instance for children on the roster.
The Raptors have some smaller strikes within the works, however probably just one roster spot to play with, on condition that it’s probably that Jamison Battle, whose $1.96-million assure for subsequent season takes impact on July 10, will return. Battle led them in three-point taking pictures final season after making the group as an undrafted free agent. Given how brief the Raptors had been/are on high quality taking pictures, it feels protected to pencil in Battle for a roster spot additionally.
That leaves one roster spot for one minimal contract. There’s each risk the Raptors go away the spot open and let somebody out of the AJ Lawson, Colin Castleton, and Jared Rhoden crowd — plus whoever may emerge out of Summer season League — earn it in coaching camp.
None of this lack of exercise ought to be all that shocking.
With Ujiri gone and the sense of urgency offered by him getting into the ultimate 12 months of his contract eliminated, there appears to be somewhat extra leeway to take a deep breath and be goal about the place the Raptors truly stand.
It was attention-grabbing that when MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley was saying Ujiri was being let go, he made some extent of claiming that the Raptors are “in the course of a rebuild” — which was one of many causes he gave for the necessity to instantly begin trying to find a brand new president, presumably as a result of somebody must see it by.
Equally, when common supervisor Bobby Webster spoke after the primary spherical of the draft was concluded, he described the Raptors as nonetheless being in “talent-acquisition mode.”
Effectively, after all. A group that has gained 25 and 30 video games the previous two seasons higher be on the lookout for expertise.
However at what tempo and what price?
In response to league sources, a lot of the discussions the Raptors had been concerned with dated again a month in the past, and concerned buying and selling the No. 9-overall decide within the draft, together with wage — which why RJ Barrett’s identify was usually talked about — for an influence participant. The Raptors talked to Boston about Derrick White, Memphis about Desmond Bane and Phoenix about Kevin Durant. They value for Bane (4 first-round picks and a decide swap) was too steep; the Raptors didn’t need to half with Jakob Poeltl in a Durant deal and the Celtics’ White would have commanded a value commensurate with Bane, if no more.
As soon as the draft handed, it was clear the roster was comparatively set, aside from no matter tweaks had been made with the ultimate spots.
For the second, the Raptors’ focus is extra inside, with the group content material to get its roster to coaching camp, assess what the entire combine seems like with the addition of Brandon Ingram, who hasn’t performed since being acquired in February, and higher choose whether or not this group can proceed to construct on the momentum they completed final season with.
Will it’s a recent set of eyes making these choices within the type of a brand new president?
Or will it’s Webster promoted to the president’s function, and empowered to construct a company as he sees match, which is also a recent take.
An instance of how Ujiri and Webster differed: it was Ujiri who was proof against signing Pascal Siakam to an extension within the season previous to him being traded to the Indiana Pacers in January of 2024. Ujiri didn’t need the danger of a long-term deal on his books for a participant who he was now not positive was a match with Scottie Barnes’ timeline. An damage to Siakam after he signed, and even only a downturn in efficiency, would have left the Raptors in a troublesome state of affairs.
However not signing him additionally meant that they’d much less management over the place Siakam could possibly be traded as he headed into the ultimate 12 months of his contract, probably much less leverage for extracting a high value.
Webster was in favour of extending Siakam, which might have given the Raptors extra management within the commerce market in the event that they needed to go that route, as they might be buying and selling a participant below group management for a number of years.
Every strategy had professionals and cons, but it surely solely illustrates that simply because Webster and Ujiri labored so intently for therefore lengthy, it doesn’t imply that Webster’s decision-making course of will merely be a reprise of what his outdated boss might need finished.
There’s a feeling throughout the Raptors group that Webster desires the president’s job now that it’s accessible. Him being included within the interview course of shouldn’t be a courtesy, however one thing Webster desires.
He’s been comfortably in his function as second-in-command within the Raptors entrance workplace, however after 13 years, there’s a sense that he’s prepared for a problem and shifting to the president’s function is a pure development.
He’s considered extremely inside MLSE and can get critical consideration, per sources, even when the chief search is ongoing.
All properly and good. However because the Raptors try to finalize their front-office state of affairs, different groups are including to and finalizing their rosters.
The Japanese Convention — considered ‘large open’ given accidents to the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum, the Bucks’ Damian Lillard and the Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton which are anticipated to maintain them out of motion for many, if not all, of 2025-26 — has been busy with groups sensing a chance.
A number of of the ten groups that completed forward of the Eleventh-place Raptors have made vital strikes.
The Atlanta Hawks, who completed eighth, 10 video games forward of Toronto, added Kristaps Porzingis in commerce and signed two helpful free brokers in Canadian nationwide teamer Nickeil Alexander-Walker (4 years and $62 million, a pleasant pay day for the late bloomer) as a two-way wing and Luke Kennard, among the best shooters accessible.
The Orlando Magic, which completed seventh, began the transaction season off by buying and selling for Bane however made a pleasant decide in including a high quality back-up level guard in Tyus Jones, whereas the sixth-place Pistons added Caris LeVert, though that was as a result of their free-agent sharpshooter Malik Beasley was below federal investigation for being concerned in betting on NBA video games. LeVert will not be an improve, however he helps the Pistons maintain their floor. The Knicks are anticipated to signal gunner Jordan Clarkson after he was purchased out by the Jazz and the Cavaliers — probably the Japanese Convention favourites — offset the lack of Ty Jerome with the addition of Lonzo Ball earlier within the week.
Not precisely the form of strikes that may trigger anybody to drop their telephone in astonishment, however groups forward of the Raptors tried to enhance themselves or no less than keep regular.
For the Raptors, standing pat wasn’t a lot a technique as a operate of constructing out their roster with 4 promising rookies final season, including Ingram on the commerce deadline and drafting two extra rookies — Collin Murray-Boyles and Alijah Martin — that may probably be on the roster simply the opposite day.
The Raptors roster is, for probably the most half, full. They’ve a gap at president, although, so now we wait.
