The terms “culture” and “reset” are tossed around in NBA discourse as much as the mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving Dinner.
There is still a lot of ambiguity in their meanings, despite this.
When Raptors President Masai Ujiri began the talks of a culture reset, Toronto fans were expecting moves that completely retooled the team. However, Masai has recently taken a step back and tried to avoid the ambiguity in his claims.
What Does Culture Tend to Infer?
There is no universal agreement on what good culture is; However, it would seem to encompass unparalleled management, an intelligent coach, an inspirational leader and selfless players. The result? A locker-room of 15 strong, many close games won and eventually many championship banners in the rafters.
The San Antonio Spurs are the epitome of good culture. General Manager R.C. Buford has made a living off of smart draft choices which include the likes of future Hall of Famers Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. Gregg Popovich has created a system predicated on ball movement and patient offense.
Further, Popovich is the definition of even-keeled. His basketball IQ paired with his relentless hunger for winning make him of of the most revered coaches in sports.
This leadership then infiltrates the players through selfless lead-by-example guys. This includes the likes of David Robinson, Tim Duncan and now Kawhi Leonard. Selfless superstars are necessary to create selfless teams and boom, wins follow.
“Reset” Means Something is Broken?
It may not be that easy but it is clear that basketball success and positive culture share a positive relationship.
The Raptors will need to imitate a similar culture if they hope to become champions.
The term reset seems to carry with it a negative connotation such as weakness, fault or failure. The term also carries with it an acknowledgement that previous ways of going about things are not adequate.
Thus, pairing the terms culture and reset side by side carry such a heavy weight for two small, seemingly insignificant words.
To many fans, myself included, Masai seemed to infer that culture which includes management, coaching, star players and role players would all be questioned. It also inferred that major moves were underway that completely retooled the Raps with a fresh start.
A promise of culture reset often brings hope that a gutsy move will be made to either rebuild or acquire a star.
And although the Raptors are not completely broken and brittle, they are not perfect. And in the NBA, if you are not at the top, then fixes and changes are necessary.
Masai Steps Back on His Claims
Since then, Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri has stepped back on his claims. He only now realized the potential weight of his claims and the conclusions that could arise out of this miscommunication.
According to theScore, Masai was mostly talking about complacency when talking about culture. He also added,
"I’m not asking for a dramatic change. If that’s what anybody is looking for, I don’t know that this is the team to watch."
Masai’s actions have been congruent with his recent claims. He has not many any bold moves but has quietly made the Raps better this off-season. He shipped the unattractive contracts of Cory Joseph and DeMarre Caroll, getting back a quality wing player in C.J. Miles and some draft picks respectively.
Raps fans might not be too excited about these moves but they are not likely to complain either. Because the team resigned Serge Ibaka and Kyle Lowry, they are not likely to regress. C.J Miles will help them with their three-point woes, while the draft picks will help them in the future, as they simultaneously compete in the present .
Conclusion
Ujiiri has quietly improved the Raptors in an age where bold and loud moves are often praised.
For this reason, it is difficult to be upset with Ujiri as he is clearly all in for the Raps.
However, his choice of words with the term culture reset might have created unreal expectations. This is because success cannot be bought or created overnight. As such, his idea of culture reset might be effective if we choose to trust in his leadership.
The only major problem I have with Masai’s moves, or lack thereof, is his unwillingness to part ways with Dwane Casey. Stay tuned for my next post in which I make a case that Ujiri’s plans for success cannot include Dwane Casey.
In a previous post, I argued that Masai could simultaneously rebuild while remaining competitive in a weak East. It seems that Masai has indeed taken a book out of the Boston Celtics playbook.
What do you think a culture reset means? Are you satisfied with Masai’s moves and his definitions of a culture reset? What do you think is essential for a culture reset for the Raptors? Comment down below.
