Toronto Raptors: 4 priorities for the team this offseason

Toronto Raptors should give Masai Ujiri whatever he wants

The number one priority for this offseason is to retain the services of Masai Ujiri.

It is tough to overstate how much of an impact Ujiri has had on the Toronto Raptors. Under his watch, the team has built a dedicated practice facility, hosted an All-Star Game, gotten a G-League affiliate, and, of course, won an NBA Championship. Before Ujiri, the Raptors weren’t up to speed with the league in terms of facilities and ventures beyond the team.

Over the course of his eight-year tenure, Ujiri has brought the team up to NBA standard and grown every aspect of the club. Just as Kyle Lowry’s No. 7 should hang from the Scotiabank Arena rafters one day, so should Ujiri’s blazer.

Ujiri has also employed a factory-esque developmental staff that has the Raptors pumping out prospects at rates comparable with the venerable San Antonio and Miami culture-based systems. From workspace to visibility to inclusion to on-court performance to civic pride, Ujiri has ameliorated every aspect of the Toronto Raptors.

At 50 years old and well on his way to building a hall of fame resumé, Ujiri must be retained at all costs. Players may come and go, but the architect of the most successful run in team history is not dispensable.