The Toronto Raptors made the massive decision to part ways with Masai Ujiri almost a month ago.
In the 12 years that Masai Ujiri was with the Toronto Raptors, they achieved immense success. He was one of the pillars of the franchise when they won the NBA championship in 2019.
Ujiri was not afraid of making brave decisions and an indication of that was when he fired Dwane Casey in 2018 after he had won the Coach of the Year award.
But after seven years, Casey could be on his way back to the Raptors while Ujiri is no longer part of the franchise.
Casey is currently a front office executive with the Detroit Pistons, a team on the ascent in the Eastern Conference.
Immediately after getting fired by the Raptors, he was hired by the Pistons and was the head coach there until 2023 before he moved to the front office role.
The 68-year-old has done a phenomenal job of transforming the team and making important decisions like drafting Cade Cunningham, who bagged his first All-Star appearance last year.
According to Detroit Free Press, Casey is set to meet with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment – the group that owns the Raptors, for a final round of talks.
He has already been through multiple rounds and is one of the contenders alongside Bobby Webster, who is the general manager of the Raptors.
The Raptors are going into the 2025-26 season as a team that could either be a massive hit or a flop.
They have some talented players in Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, but injuries have often limited the progress of the Raptors.
Barrett’s name has been making rounds in the trade market, but the team has not yet found an ideal deal for him.
Ingram was also expected to move, but the team has given him a massive 3-year $120 million contract, which has made it difficult to trade him.
The Raptors are already in the first apron, and do not have a player who can necessarily lead them to a deep playoff run.
Barnes and Ingram are both talented, but they have not proven their abilities in the playoffs yet. The team has paid their youngsters well, but they lack the strength to make too much noise in the East.
While the Raptors have a young core, the new president will have to once again look at the roster to see if they will help them be successful in the long run.
They were involved in trade talks for players like Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo, which indicates they are capable of making big moves. But they will first have to hire a strong president, who will help change the fortunes of the team.
