In a long-anticipated move, the Raptors and President & GM Masai Ujiri on Friday announced they have "finalized a new contract" while promoting two of his top lieutenants, according to Doug Smith of the TORONTO STAR. Ujiri, who had two years left on his original five-year deal, is now President. The moves have been "in the works for weeks" and keeps in place the "triumvirate that has presided over unprecedented Raptors success." The moves do "little to shift any balance of power or decision-making within the organization." Changes in titles for Ujiri and his top two aides, GM Jeff Weltman and Assistant GM & VP/Basketball Strategy Bobby Webster, will "increase some level of responsibility for Weltman and Webster but the framework at the top level has not changed" (TORONTO STAR, 9/3).
THE GOOD STUFF: In Toronto, Bruce Arthur noted Ujiri has "just finished his annual charity tour," which has been running for 13 years now. Ujiri's charity, Giants of Africa, last year "ran basketball camps in four countries," and a film crew documented the story. Ujiri's group "started in Senegal, then went on to Ghana, his native Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, and Botswana." They "helped build a court in Rwanda." Arthur noted the film on Ujiri was shown during February's NBA All-Star Weekend in Toronto, and is "about to finally get a wider release." It will play Sept. 8-18 at the Toronto Int'l Film Festival (TORONTO STAR, 9/3).
