To fill the void left by their firing of former team president Masai Ujiri, the Toronto Raptors are promoting from within.
The team announced Monday, Aug. 18 that it has extended the contract of general manager Bobby Webster. The Raptors also indicated they will not appoint a president to replace Ujiri — who was fired on June 27 — and that Webster will serve as head of basketball operations, with support from the Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) leadership.
“Going through this comprehensive process this summer and meeting with external candidates played a critical role in arriving at this decision as it made clear that we already have the right person leading the Raptors in- house,” MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley said Monday in a statement.
“When we weighed the many considerations, including roster construction, team culture and competitive landscape, it made perfect sense to officially hand the team to Bobby and give him the time and support to allow his plan to develop.”
Webster, 40, got his start in the NBA in the league office, where he spent seven seasons under former commissioner David Stern and current head Adam Silver. Webster was instrumental in negotiating the 2011 collective bargaining agreement with the National Basketball Players Association.
Webster then joined the Raptors, where he has served in the front office 13 seasons, nine as general manager.
“After spending time together this summer in Las Vegas, I was very impressed by Bobby’s leadership style, his rapport with the players and staff, his reputation with his peers across the league and — especially and importantly — his vision for the Raptors,” Pelley said. “This team is his, now, to lead and I know we all look forward to what comes next.”
Alongside Ujiri, Webster was one of the key figures in building the Raptors roster that won the 2019 NBA Finals, when they beat the Golden State Warriors in six games. Webster had a hand in roster construction, organizational structure and daily operations.
Since then, the Raptors have made the postseason just twice in six years, failing to get out of the second round. A big factor in that was the departure of star forward Kawhi Leonard, who played just one season in Toronto before he signed with the Clippers in July 2019.
And then, by trading forward Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers in January 2024, the Raptors signaled that they would be entering a rebuild.
The Raptors went 30-52 last season, which placed them 11th in the Eastern Conference and out of the play-in picture.
“I’m grateful to Keith, to the board, and to our ownership for this opportunity — the chance to continue the work that I love, for a team, a city, and country that’s become home,” Webster said Monday in a statement. “The things that are important to me — a deep love for basketball, thoughtful and empowering leadership, and a competitive fire — are the pillars of who I am as a leader. That’s what you’ll see from me every day. This is a new chapter in Raptors basketball, but one thing that will not change is our passion for winning, and our goal to bring another championship to Toronto.”
