The Toronto Raptors just underwent an ownership change, with Rogers Communications buying out Bell Canada and growing to control 75 percent of the team (as well as the Maple Leafs). That greatly increases the influence of Rogers chairman Edward Rogers over the operations of the team.
That may spell doom for President Masai Ujiri, who is both one of the most respected executives in the league and a favorite of current Raptors governor Paul Tanenbaum, who owns the remaining 25 percent of the team. Ujiri and Rogers, on the other hand, have had a fairly contentious relationship.
We discussed more of the details of the situation here, but suffice it to say it's not crazy to think the Raptors could be looking for a new basketball decision-maker sooner rather than later.
If that ends up happening, and Ujiri is fired or otherwise forced out, who are the top candidates to replace him? Let's look at five names who could be in play for the position, starting with the in-house option.
No. 5: Bobby Webster
Bobby Webster has come up in the Toronto Raptors organization, joining the franchise in 2013 and becoming assistant GM in 2016. In 2017, the then-32-year-old replace Jeff Weltman to become general manager, becoming the youngest GM in the league at the time.
For all that Masai Ujiri has taken credit for building the 2019 title team, Webster has been intimately involved in all of the team's transactions, from that 2019 team to the more recently questionable decisions. An expert on salary cap management, Webster likely has a lot to offer a team as the lead decision-maker, but he may also be viewed as too close to Ujiri to retain if Edward Rogers wants a clean slate.
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.
No. 2: Dennis Lindsey
Dennis Lindsey is another executive with experience serving as the top basketball decision-maker, running the Utah Jazz for nine seasons through 2020-21. Since then, he has served as an advisor, leaving the Jazz and serving with Nico Harrison on the Dallas Mavericks last season, before he was hired as the No. 2 in Detroit beside new general manager Trajan Langdon.
Lindsey brings established experience and a track record of building a good team in Utah, and the fact that he spent last season with a Mavericks team that made it to the NBA Finals -- via several significant roster-shaping trades - is certainly a feather in his cap.
No. 1: Bob Myers
The most intriguing name on this list has to be Bob Myers, who build a modern dynasty with the Golden State Warriors, from drafting Draymond Green to filling in a championship roster around Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson to hiring and empowering Steve Kerr as head coach.
Myers stepped away from the role a year ago, handing the reigns to Mike Dunleavy Jr. Since then, Myers has consulted on the hiring of a new front office and coaching staff for the NFL's Washington Commanders, and served with ABC/ESPN as an analyst. He hasn't closed the door on a return to the NBA, and at age 49 he would seem to have many years left in the tank.
Hiring Myers would be something of a coup for the Raptors and represent a significant investment in the future. There are few executives who can match the track record and clout of Masai Ujiri, but Myers is one of them. If and when Ujiri's time with the organization ends, watch to see if Myers' name comes up.