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OT: The Official Toronto Raptors Thread

He isn't leaving.

There's been 2 reasons given for why he would leave the Raptors and they're both bullshit that completely misunderstands the man and what's important to him (according to his own words)

1) access to powerful politicians. This one is ridiculously american-centric, as evidenced by the fact that he's currently travelling with the PM of the 10th biggest economy on the planet. Masai is looking to grow African basketball, he has more than enough access to power now.

2) a new challenge. Growing giants of africa is the only new challenge he really gives a shit about. He loves his NBA work, but growing african basketball is his first love and what he views as his legacy.
 
I used to dream of setting up camp in a small country and start churning out tons of tennis champs. I actually did it. In Nassau.

Problem is, you get so close to the kids that don't make it, breaks your heart, and what are they going to do, if they don't make it.

Trick is to provde them with a secondary plan.

Toronto is a very cool city. Not Chicago or New York cool, but safer perhaps. Terrible traffic.

Masai has so many options, he might get restless here. You never know.
 
MindzEye said:
He isn't leaving.

There's been 2 reasons given for why he would leave the Raptors and they're both bullshit that completely misunderstands the man and what's important to him (according to his own words)

1) access to powerful politicians. This one is ridiculously american-centric, as evidenced by the fact that he's currently travelling with the PM of the 10th biggest economy on the planet. Masai is looking to grow African basketball, he has more than enough access to power now.

2) a new challenge. Growing giants of africa is the only new challenge he really gives a shit about. He loves his NBA work, but growing african basketball is his first love and what he views as his legacy.
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That's been my read as well....but I would never say never. What if the MLSE board is too stupid to realize his value (unlikely, but dumber corporate things happen all the time) or something like the Lakers gig came up in 5 years.
 
I think Trudeau is hanging with Masai, if we're getting the pecking order right.

I normally would think hanging with charlatan Trudeau is a negative, except the US prez is 100000x worse.
 
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CH1 said:
That's been my read as well....but I would never say never. What if the MLSE board is too stupid to realize his value (unlikely, but dumber corporate things happen all the time) or something like the Lakers gig came up in 5 years.
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Lake Show is the one big one that worries me. If Jeanie Buss gets tired of Rob Pelinka in a couple of years and punts him, I could see Masai being interested in that. It's one of the most presitgious jobs in all sports (up there with running one of the massive Euro football clubs for international profile). Being Pat Riley's hand picked successor in Miami would be another one that would probably be interested because being rich in Miami is incredible.

I'm not worried about him leaving to fix a gong show in a random major American city though.
 
CH1 said:
Me neither. Toronto is a great gig.
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Internationally, the Raptors are a more prestigious gig than the Knicks. American centrism only works on Americans. Raptors are the 4th most popular team in China, top 10 in Europe and most popular in Africa.

Lakers, Houston (yuuuge in China), Golden State (yuuuuger in China), Chicago (that's a hell of an after glow Jordan left behind him, they're still huge in Europe), Boston, and Dallas (Monsters in europe) are the only other clubs with similar or better international profiles as the Raptors.
 
"Masai leaving" gossip is a double whammy of a) American arrogance and b) Canadian insecurity
 
I don't think Ujiri leaves over money. MLSE has oceans of it. how much can it possibly take?

If he leaves it's because he doesn't really think he can win here again, and wants to go out on top while things are good.

but if he believes he can win here again, and is getting a competitive offer to stay, then why on earth leave a championship org?
 
OG needs to spend an entire summer working like a maniac on his offensive game. When he's not a pure spot up shooter, he's disappointing offensively.
 
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