The Ujiri era
As the Raptors fluttered around in mediocrity for a few more years they finally made a great front office decision. On May 31, 2013, the Raptors replaced Bryan Colangelo with reigning executive of the year Masai Ujiri.
Ujiri, who is now known to shake things up, did exactly that upon arrival. He wasted no time trading Andrea Bargnani and his $50 million contract to the Knicks. A few months later, Ujiri would also trade away Rudy Gay and his $37 million contract for a mix of role players.
While many believed this was the Raptor’s way of tanking Ujiri assured the fans that it was not. The Raptors went on to win 14 of their next 20 games. In that 20-game span, Kyle Lowry became the beating heart of the franchise earning his nickname the “Bulldog of Baystreet.”
Meanwhile, DeMar began to flourish. He had developed into a lethal mid-range threat with great footwork which complemented his impressive athletic ability. On the backs of Lowry, DeRozan, and Ujiri the Raps were headed in exciting and unfamiliar territory – success! Against the odds, the Raptors secured not only a playoff spot but a home playoff berth.
They were pitted against the newly minted albeit veteran-laden Brooklyn Nets squad. Led by Deron Williams as well as Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce it was clear that this was going to be a great series. Basketball interest was growing in Canada and having not made the playoffs for years (baseball and hockey included) this put Toronto and its fans into a frenzy. Canadians were clamoring for a postseason berth of any kind and they showed up in droves outside Scotia Bank Arena.
That early 2000s excitement electrified the Canadian sports scene like a bolt of lightning, and this time the momentum did not yield. The Raptors led by Lowry and DeRozan would continue to climb higher. The chemistry between the two stars was infectious and their bromance led to multiple All-Star appearances and plenty of Raptors’ success.
Ujiri continued to make great moves turning seemingly small trades and signings into impactful on-court results. Under Ujiri the team managed to draft exceptionally well and develop young talent through the Raptors 905 program. Some highlights include Pascal Siakam, OG Annunoby, Norman Powell, and of course, the undrafted gem that is, Fred VanVleet. The Raptors would go on to make the playoffs with regularity and even finished atop the Eastern conference on some occasions. There were many highlights along the way, but this was a personal favorite.
I entered a bar and sat down to watch one of the Eastern Conference finals games. As I surveyed the room I was perplexed. Every single TV was tuned to the game. This may not sound surprising, but you have to remember that the NHL’s postseason overlaps with the NBA’s. There wasn’t a single TV tuned to Canada’s favorite sport, all eyes were on the Raps. During my viewing, the Raps took Game 2 off the now legendary 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers and the place went nuts. Making the conference finals was an absolute thrill and it felt as though everyone in Canada was a Raptors fan.
Two more years would pass and with it, two more losses to the Cavs. While fan support continued to grow over the years the Raptors were stuck once again. Granted, being stuck in the playoffs is far superior to being stuck aimlessly below .500.
Personally, I was quite content with the Raptors getting trounced in the playoffs. They played good basketball and had lots of young talent which were fun to watch. But most importantly I did not want to return to the era of mediocrity that I had become so accustomed to in the mid to late 2000s.
With a stagnating playoff team, this inevitably led to questions of a roster rehaul. These rumors left me and many other Raptors fans worried. The possibility of returning to cellar-dweller status in the Eastern conference was both real and unexciting. Luckily for Raptors fans, Masai Ujiri refuses to tank. Ujiri ended up rolling the dice and pulled off what would eventually become one of the greatest, strangest, and most impactful trades in modern NBA history.
But great trades often come with great sacrifice and the Raps were no exception. The first all-star player the Raps had managed to re-sign in their 25-year existence was dealt away. DeRozan’s loyalty and love for the city of Toronto and its fans made this move particularly heart-breaking.
For fans, DeRozan re-signing was a huge sign of respect after the departures of star players like Chris Bosh and Vince Carter. Anyone with a basketball IQ could see the flaws in DeRozan’s game but his decision to re-sign seemed like a pivotal moment for the franchise’s credibility. Regardless of his flaws, he did what few NBA players were willing to do – he fully committed to the team, to Toronto, and to Canada. But years pass quickly in the NBA and the future comes first. Stagnating in the playoffs was no longer an option, changes were inevitable.
Cautious optimism was in full effect throughout the 2019-20 season. The question of Kawhi’s future haunted every win and loss throughout the season and load managing didn’t help. Amidst all these off-court antics the Raps were becoming a true threat to the Eastern Conference crown. The Cavs were no longer the kings of the conference and it was time for a new conference champion.
The Raptors secured a second seed and their playoff chances were anything but clear. To the dismay of fans across the country, the pesky Orlando Magic team pulled off a Game 1 win. But the Raptors gathered themselves and made quick work of Orlando. The following round is now etched in Canadian sports history forever. In an eerily similar situation to the Game 7 of nearly 20 years ago, the Raptors were pitted against the sixers… in Game 7… with a chance to advance.
Canada held its breath as Kawhi raced to the baseline. Just barely releasing the ball over the outstretched arms of Joel Embiid, the nation came together and held its breath once again. Kawhi’s shot hung in the air for what felt like an eternity and the ball bounced on every inch of that rim. Once the ball finally decided to fall through the mesh the usually emotionless Kawhi exploded with an energetic celebration and Canada quickly followed suit.
In an equally exciting series, the Raptors would overcome Milwaukee and soon to be MVP Giannis in six games. Ripping off four consecutive games the Raps were in a place I never ever thought I’d see them, atop the Eastern conference, and headed to the finals. A depleted Warriors team stood in their way and in another six-game series the Raps shocked the world and became NBA champions. Led by the best player in the league and a veteran-laden squad the Raps shed all previous shortcomings and completed a title run for the ages.