Toronto Raptors’ 3-step plan for potential life without Masai Ujiri

No. 3: Get Buy-In

It’s an underrated part of any front office or coaching hire: The need for players and team staff to be on board with the new guy. It’s also another part of what would make the prospect of replacing as beloved a figure as Ujiri so inherently challenging. Just ask the Indiana Pacers, if the questionable reporting of a recent Bleacher Report story about Nate Bjorkgren is to be believed.

Some of the Raptors’ exit interviews over the past week have underscored the importance of collective buy-in and how it has helped the solid foundation of chemistry the club currently enjoys.

Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, and Nick Nurse have all spoken in glowing terms about Ujiri since the season ended, with Lowry even seeming to tie his own free-agent future to that of his boss.

“Part of the reason I re-signed here twice is because of [Ujiri],” acknowledged Lowry in his end-of-season press availability. “[…] So his decision, yes, it will factor into everything.”

The Toronto Raptors must get behind Masai Ujiri’s replacement.

That’s not to suggest that ownership must open up the vault to Ujiri so that Lowry will stay, but it speaks to the impact that a respected front office leader can have on a franchise. Does Webster carry that same air of respect and admiration? That would be a critical question ahead of any succession plan.

Under this doomsday scenario, it would be tempting to respond to a Ujiri exit by grabbing headlines with a major, marquee hire. But replicating the last eight years of Raptors basketball under the 50-year-old can only be a good thing, and he was never one to engage in knee-jerk PR-driven moves.

Webster has proven himself well suited for the GM’s chair and has built a strong working relationship with, not only Ujiri, but also Resch, Tolzman, Boyarsky, Embry, and the rest of the front office.

Ujiri is the central figure as the architect of his era for the club, but behind him is a group of exceptional basketball minds ready to do more – if need be (although, hopefully maybe not yet).