This isn’t a new story, hell this has been played out. The Knicks have been interested in Masai Ujiri for quite a while now. But with the Knicks looking as bad as ever, could this finally be the year that it happens? The Raptors fear for Ujiri to leave them for the Knicks. As reported by Steve Popper of Newsday:
“But based on comments made by numerous people in Toronto on Wednesday, many in the Raptors’ organization believe that the changes could come higher on the organizational chart and that if the Knicks’ struggles continue, at season’s end, Dolan will make an effort to convince Masai Ujiri to come to New York. And the fear within the Raptors’ organization is that Ujiri will go.”
Now, you’ve heard me bash the Knicks again and again, so why the hell would Masai Ujiri even THINK about going to the Knicks. Masai Ujiri has been proving that he is one of the best in the business right now, when you’re good at something, you never do it for cheap. If the Knicks do try to get him, they’ll pay him extremely good money. The other reason is because of his foundation. His foundation provides opportunities through basketball in Africa. A bigger platform would be very good for his foundation, more so if he can find a way to be successful in New York.
With every situation, there are their cons if he does leave the Raptors. He’s got an extremely good thing going with the Raptors right now. Largely because of him. With the breakout of Pascal Siakam, the Raptors will be good for years to come. He’s already a household name in Toronto and in the NBA, moving to New York wouldn’t make him all that more known. He already won an NBA Championship. The Toronto Raptors are stable, while the Knicks are not, and may not be for a while. He’d have to work under James Dolan, who I think is the root of the issues of the Knicks. If I am Masai Ujiri, I avoid the Knicks like Richard Jefferson, the Raptors is a great place for him, but ultimately it is his own decision.
