Tip of the Tower
Fansided

Toronto Raptors: Four takeaways from Masai Ujiri’s season ending press conference

By Chris Okrainetz

May 23, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri (right) gestures as he speaks with media during pre-game shoot around before the Raptors host Cleveland Cavaliers in game four of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
May 23, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri (right) gestures as he speaks with media during pre-game shoot around before the Raptors host Cleveland Cavaliers in game four of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 5
Next
Toronto Raptors
May 23, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri (right) gestures as he speaks with media during pre-game shoot around before the Raptors host Cleveland Cavaliers in game four of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri held his annual post-mortem press conference on Monday, and although nothing was definitive, you got the sense real changes are on the horizon for the Raptors.

“Culture reset.” That is what president Masai Ujiri said the Toronto Raptors will undergo this offseason. What that means exactly is yet to be determined, though.

Like Ujiri himself said countless times on Tuesday, it’s too early in the “evaluation process” to determine exactly what direction the Raptors need to head in. While these words might scare fans, I think they should actually be comforting for two reasons: 1) the Raptors organization clearly wants to improve and are not happy with the status quo, which is a great sign if you’re a fan. And 2) management is aware of the team’s issues, problems, or whatever you want to call them, which is another great sign if change is actually going to take place.

Again, the direction this team should go in is debatable, but the need for change is not and upper management is well aware of this. Ujiri is the master of saying a lot and giving you a little, but he was extremely candid during this press conference and seemed to foreshadow what should be a compelling summer of change for the Raptors.

Aside from the need for change, here are four other takeaways I had from Ujiri’s season-ending press conference.

Home/Toronto Raptors