5 General managers the Raptors could call to replace Masai Ujiri

No. 4: Tim Connelly

Tim Connelly built a team in Denver that won a championship soon after he left, going to Minnesota and putting together a Western Conference Finals team over the next few seasons. Yet even in the midst of those significant moves and the Wolves' growth as a team, Connelly has maintained contract flexibility and can become a free agent next summer.

That might mean the Raptors have a chance to sign one of the league's more proven executives without negotiating with a team. Connelly's track record isn't spotless -- he did massively overpay for Rudy Gobert -- but he has built two excellent teams in two consecutive stops, and his work in Denver is only more impressive as the realities of their ownership's thriftiness comes to light since he has left.

No. 3: Mike Zarren

The Vice President of Basketball Ops for the Boston Celtics, Zarren has operated alongside Brad Stevens in building out the roster that just won the 2024 NBA Championship. Zarren has been with the Celtics for a very long time, briefly stepping into the spotlight in 2013 when he suggested a draft overhaul that the league considered before rejecting.

Zarren is known for a holistic approach to basketball, as he is both the team's counsel and a respected analytics mind. The Celtics have maintained a great team for a long time and have the best reoster in the league right now, and that success makes Zarren an attractive candidate to speak to if the Raptors' job comes available.