ESPN reported, citing sources, that Masai Ujiri resigned from his position as Vice Chairman and President of the Toronto Raptors on Thursday. As the executive entered the last year of his deal, the report stated that Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and Ujiri had made the decision to split.

The NBA Draft ended just hours before this. Ujiri was in the last year of his contract, having joined the Raptors in 2013 and agreed to a big extension in 2021. There has been conjecture as to the reasons why he left a franchise that he helped turn into a worldwide brand.

We are outlining the possible reasons for the significant transfer, even though neither the Raptors nor Ujiri have made any announcements.

MLSE ownership and organizational changes

The Raptors' parent firm, MLSE, is going through big changes that coincide with Ujiri's departure. Rogers Communications acquired a majority stake in Bell Canada in 2024 when Bell Canada began selling its stake to Rogers. After the departure of Brendan Shanahan as president of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Bill Manning as president of Toronto FC, Ujiri was the sole remaining team president at MLSE.

Ujiri's position may have been weakened by the reorganization and the departure of Larry Tanenbaum, a close friend who helped him in previous transactions.

Recent team results

The Raptors' poor performance after winning the 2019 championship was probably a factor. Ujiri was under pressure about the team's future after a 30–52 record in 2024–25, which was their third consecutive year without making the playoffs.

The Raptors remained 'tweeners'—neither lottery-bound nor contenders—despite accomplishments such as trading for Brandon Ingram (2025) and selecting Scottie Barnes in the 2021 draft (No. 4).

Additional NBA teams?

Ujiri's departure might have been influenced by his position as a highly sought-after manager. He was asked about being the president of basketball operations for the Atlanta Hawks in May 2025.

Several other clubs, such as the Washington Wizards and New York Knicks, had previously sought him with enticing deals, some of which were close to $10 million a year and included ownership stakes.

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