Ujiri is swinging for everything
In the two days before making the most significant, high-risk, blow-your-mind trade in Toronto Raptors history, Masai Ujiri spent time with Barack Obama, the former U.S. president, in Kenya. Obama opened a court Ujiri helped build; they went to dinner together, spent time together. The thing that struck Ujiri the most was how Obama made people feel special. How the former president’s charm, intellect and natural feel for human interaction made everyone in the room feel like they could believe in him.
On Friday, Ujiri stood before the media two hours after getting off a plane from the continent and discussed The Trade: four-time all-star and franchise icon DeMar DeRozan for potential MVP and free agent Kawhi Leonard. From a basketball perspective, it’s simple. It’s a swing for everything.
“We’ve been doing this for how many years?” said Ujiri, as part of a 20-minute press conference. “You can’t keep doing the same thing over and over again, and when you get a chance to get a top-five player — which isn’t very often — I think you have to jump on it. I think we’ve given a chance to this team, we tried to build it up as much as we can, but at this point, we got to this level, this opportunity came in front of us and we had to jump on it.”
‘You can’t keep doing the same thing over and over again,’ says Raptors president
When you talk top-five players, he’s right. How many players on the planet can even enter that conversation? LeBron James, obviously. Kevin Durant and Steph Curry. James Harden in Houston, Anthony Davis in New Orleans. Giannis Antetokounmpo could become one in Milwaukee, and Joel Embiid could become one in Philadelphia. Russell Westbrook? Opinions vary.
And definitely a healthy Kawhi Leonard, who is now a Raptor. The NBA has always been ruled by the true superstars. Every final since 1991 has involved at least one of LeBron, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon or Michael Jordan. It’s almost impossible to win a title without one.
So now Masai has created a one-year referendum on himself. Not on his job status or security, and not on the viability of the franchise. But he has created a clear challenge with an uncertain outcome and a voting bloc of one, plus ad- visers. He needs to figure out what the opaque Leonard wants — championship contention? A big market? The right set of teammates, culture, food? Whatever it is, he must find a way to deliver it, if he can.
“He didn’t express a lack of interest about playing in Canada to me,” Ujiri said. “I think there’s a lot to sell here. Our team, our culture, our city, our ownership. We have everything here except a championship, in my humble opinion. I don’t think we lack anything in this city. We have great fans, we have a great organization, we have a great following, I think we have a great country. There is something about this place that reaches out to the whole world, and we’re proud of that, and we’re going to continue to sell that. Hopefully it’s an appeal, not only to him but to more NBA players.”
It’s not fair that it’s such an up-and-down vote, but that’s the NBA. The league is about recruiting, so get ready for a year of trying to figure out whether Kawhi Leonard likes, in no particular order, Toronto, Canada, winter, Canadian TV, Toronto restaurants, Toronto real estate, Toronto traffic, the Raptors front office and support and coaching staff, his teammates, and Drake. Leonard has a legendary poker face, to the point that he and second-year Raptor OG Anunoby might become best friends without ever saying a word.
But most of all, if the 27-yearold Leonard has any chance to re-sign here, he has to believe in the man into whose hands he will put his career. He has to believe in Masai.
“That’s my job, and I think that’s why I’m in this seat, is to try and figure that part out,” Ujiri said. “I’ve had conversations with Kawhi, with his agent, with his uncle, and everything has gone well. I’m looking forward to meeting with them face to face. That’s our responsibility, is to figure it out and to make them as comfortable as possible. And on his part, hear more on what he wants in our team, in the future, and go from there. I take responsibility for that, and I’m confident. I think we have a good game plan and we’ll see how that goes.”
“I will tell you if it’s a challenge. I’m an open person, and I’m up for the challenge.”
The stakes are enormous, though not because the fran- chise falls apart if Leonard leaves. They would still have young talent, salary-cap space, options. Ujiri would still have a job.
But the opportunity lost would be crushing, because if you want to win a title you have to hunt players like Leonard.
“It does (raise the ceiling), because we are stepping on territory that we never have,” Ujiri said. “There’s a burden that we have to cross now. That first and foremost is the first face-to-face meeting with him, and talking, and seeing how this relationship can go. Whether it’s temporary, or whether it’s for the future. Having that calibre of player tells another story and gives you more opportunity, obviously, and I’m curious to find out what that is.”
If you have a Kawhi Leonard and he wants to stay, then it opens all the doors. Other superstars might add Toronto to their list. What if Davis is to leave New Orleans? A run at Antetokounmpo as a free agent in 2021? Having a true superstar allows for dreams.
So now the clock ticks for a little under a year, and the sales job starts now. It’s like taking a game-winner at the buzzer, and creating the best shot you can. All you can do is give yourself a chance.