The name Masai Ujiri will always be synonymous with Raptors basketball.
Ujiri first joined the Raptors as GM before being promoted to team president. His 12-year tenure, from 2013 to 2025, saw him usher in a new era for the franchise, transforming them from a measly East team into a perennial threat and eventual NBA champions in 2019. Last summer, Ujiri's departure stunned Raptors fans, despite longstanding rumors that an eventual split was likely.
Now, we find ourselves in the Bobby Webster era of Raptors basketball, though his close association with Masai Ujiri over the years means many of his old philosophies continue to influence this new regime. Everyone is aware of 'Vision 6'9"' and the Raptors' obsession with big, versatile wings who can thrive in a positionless system and cause havoc on the defensive end. Scottie Barnes is the face of that system in the present day, but he's got a host of supporting castmates who mimic that similar philosophy in Collin Murray-Boyles and recent draftee Allen Graves.
Despite being the architect and visionary behind the Raptors for many years, Masai Ujiri’s acclaimed efforts as a front office executive suggested he was destined for a new role elsewhere in the NBA. That became a reality this past May when he was hired as the Dallas Mavericks’ new team president and alternate governor.
We recently reached the three-month mark since Masai assumed his current position, and NBA insider Marc Stein of The Stein Line noted that the front office executive's approach continues to reflect his well-known vision from his time leading the Raptors.
Masai Ujiri's approach of stockpiling switchable wings continues as he leads the Mavericks
Stein wrote in his late-night intel piece on August 3 (subscription-required link here): "In that short time, Ujiri has done little to dispel the notion that he wants as many switchable wings as possible on his roster, with the Mavericks having jumped into a recent three-team trade with Oklahoma City and Atlanta to acquire former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher and then signing Naji Marshall to a contract extension on Sunday that nearly doubled Marshall’s $9.4 million salary for 2026-27."
Of course, at the forefront of the Dallas Mavericks is their crown jewel, Cooper Flagg, who serves as the core building block and leader in this category. However, as Stein mentions (and simply by looking at the Mavericks' depth chart), you can see an array of players who can slot into this role. You have the aforementioned Zaccharie Risacher and Naji Marshall. Additionally, their 2026 lottery pick Morez Johnson Jr., newly-acquired Santi Aldama, and veteran PJ Washington Jr. also fit this profile to a degree.
While some fans are fully on board with having as much size and versatility as possible, it's a somewhat controversial topic. There are definitely drawbacks, like creating a sense of clunkiness and redundancy around the roster (Raptors fans know this good and well) or limiting the team's perimeter ceiling. Masai Ujiri is no longer with the Raptors, but the remnants of that vision and the continued emphasis on it remain subjects of fan and analyst debate.
Meanwhile, as Ujiri employs this strategy with the Mavs, only time will tell if this blueprint truly remains a "Trust Masai" process.
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