NBA Rumors: 5 Factors that could determine Masai Ujiri's impending free agency decision
Masai Ujiri has proven himself to be one of the best GMs in the NBA. The executive played a key role as the Toronto Raptors entered the upper echelons of the NBA in recent seasons. However, NBA Rumors have now surfaced regarding Masai Ujiri's future with the Toronto Raptors. We take a look at 5 factors that could be critical for an NBA team to successfully land Ujiri's services if he becomes a free agent.
NBA Rumors: 5 Factors that could determine Masai Ujiri's impending free-agency decision
1. An important factor in signing Masai Ujiri as a General Manager for any team is the organization's ability to help him broaden his charity work. Ujiri is a noted activist and has served as director of the NBA's 'Basketball Without Borders' Africa program, which promotes basketball in the continent.
2. Any NBA franchise targeting Masai Ujiri will have to provide him with the right resources to run their G League affiliate. Ujiri has emphasized the importance of the G League and has previously discovered hidden gems such as Pascal Siakam in the NBA's minor organization.
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3. When the Toronto Raptors decided to court Masai Ujiri back in 2013, he requested the Canada based franchise to make a serious attempt to host the NBA All-Star game. The Raptors kept their promise and if Ujiri does become a free agent, he could ask his suitors to do the same.
4. A large part of Masai Ujiri's success is his tendency to command total control of the operations of his organization. He is expected to request a similar level of freedom and authority to make basketball decisions for the team he chooses in free agency.
5. The key to landing Masai Ujiri will be to convince him the team will match his ambition. Ujiri is known to take bold decisions, which was outlined in 2018 when he fired NBA Coach of the Year winner Dwayne Casey and replaced him with then-assistant Nick Nurse.
It was a surprising move and paid dividends, as Nurse coached the Raptors to their first NBA championship. Teams courting him will have to keep up with his vision and ambition if they want a realistic chance of getting him.
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