Masai Ujiri's Future With Raptors In Question Following MLSE Sale

Rogers' acquisition of MLSE on Wednesday has raised questions about the future of Masai Ujiri and his leadership of the Toronto Raptors

Sep 26, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CA; Masai Ujiri Vice Chairman and Team President of the Toronto Raptors talks to the media during Media Day at the Hotel X. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

For over a decade, the Toronto Raptors have been a beacon of stability in the NBA.

As seemingly the whole league goes through upheaval after upheaval, Masai Ujiri has remained a constant in Toronto. In some form or fashion, Ujiri has been an executive for the Raptors since 2013, making him the fourth longest-tenured executive in the NBA. Only Gregg Popovich, Pat Riley, and Sam Presti have been around longer with their respective franchises.

And yet, the end of Ujiri's tenure appears to potentially be on the horizon.

Ujiri has never hinted or commented on his potential departure from the organization, but Rogers Communication's decision to take control of Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment certainly complicates Toronto's decade-long stability. Rogers announced the purchase of Bell's 37.5% ownership stake in MLSE on Wednesday, giving Rogers 75% ownership in the company and its subsidiaries including the Raptors. The remaining 25% is owned by Larry Tanenbaum who is expected to sell his remaining share by 2026, per Sportsnet.

Rogers and Ujiri have at times had a fraught relationship. As the Toronto Star reported, it was Edward Rogers who fought plans to re-sign Ujiri in 2021, but was forced to give up the fight after pushback from Tanenbaum and leadership at Bell. With Bell no longer involved in MLSE and Tanebaum's exit expected in the coming years, Rogers will have total control over the future of the organization.

Ujiri's contract is reportedly set to expire in 2026, per Sportsnet. That gives him two more seasons with the Raptors before he and MLSE will need to renegotiate another deal if he plans to stay with the organization.

What the future hold remains unclear for the moment.

Ujiri has always professed his love for Toronto and his plan to bring a championship back to the city. But the situation has changed since Ujiri's last contract extension. Toronto has taken a step back since winning the 2019 championship and Rogers' new controlling stake in MLSE will change how the organization is run moving forward.

Toronto will have another couple of years of stability, but after that choppy waters could be ahead.