Toronto Raptors need to ensure Masai Ujiri’s future with Knicks interested

The New York Knicks continue to show interest in Masai Ujiri and if the Toronto Raptors want to keep their president around they need to silence these rumours.

If you think the rumours surrounding Masai Ujiri and the New York Knicks are going away anytime soon, guess again, and the Toronto Raptors shouldn’t stand by and let it happen.

The Knicks interest isn’t anything new considering they have shown interest in the past but seeing how persistent they are isn’t something that should be taken lightly. After firing head coach David Fizdale, there is a lot of unrest with the team and owner James Dolan is right in the middle of it.

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New York has been a disaster of a franchise for years and Howard Beck of Bleacher Report reported that some executives believe Ujiri will be a possibility for the Knicks but you have to wonder why he would leave.

Beck’s sources believe that the challenge of fixing the Knicks and having his Giants of Africa program get the exposure of the New York market would be big selling points for the NBA executive. He also cites that Ujiri’s contract is done in 2021 and he rejected a contract extension.

While hearing that the Raptors haven’t been able to secure Ujiri’s future, it seems like the only thing Dolan and Knicks can offer is money which is exactly what Toronto can offer too. If you compare the state of the Raptors’ roster and future to the Knicks there is no comparison at all.

Toronto has a core that can compete this season and beyond while the Knicks really only have R.J. Barrett as their big selling point. Of course, Giannis Antetokounmpo is the big free agent every team will be unloading a dump truck of money to sign but a team like New York is probably going to need more than money.

Here is the problem, Ujiri has been able to run the Raptors in his vision and if he goes to the Knicks, there is no guarantee that Dolan will let him do that. He showed that when he was going to hire David Griffin but said that Steve Mills would remain in a basketball operations role.

Can Dolan stay out of Ujiri’s way and let him run the Knicks? That doesn’t sound likely and while he can offer a lot of money and spotlight to the Raptors president, he needs to understand that he will have to change.

What MLSE needs to do is find out what Ujiri is looking for in his future because money shouldn’t be an issue and while Toronto doesn’t have the glamour of New York or the challenge that the Knicks present, this is the team Ujiri built. You have to think it would be tough to walk away from that.

So what the Raptors need to do is make it tough for their president to leave because it would show the rest of the NBA that they will do what it takes to shoot down any baseless rumour.

What are your thoughts on the rumours surrounding Ujiri? Is there anything the Raptors can do to quiet the rumours? Let us know in the comments below.