Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment is reportedly targeting Denver Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri to replace Toronto Raptors president and GM Bryan Colanagelo as the team’s top executive, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski.
Ujiri, who was the Raptors assistant GM from 2008 to 2010, was named the NBA’s Executive of the Year on May 9 and has developed into one of the most appealing executives in basketball. Ujiri’s contract with the Nuggets expires this summer but the 42-year-old has had talks with ownership about a possible extension, according to Wojnarowski.
MLSE recently hired recruitment agency Korn/Ferry International to seek out potential replacements for Colangelo, who is still a candidate to return next season. MLSE has until Monday to pick up the option on Colangelo’s contract.
Ujiri, the first African-born GM in North American sports, would provide the Raptors with an elite executive the team has been seeking. New MLSE president and CEO Tim Leiweke has also reportedly reached out to friend and Lakers legend Phil Jackson regarding the position.
Since being hired as Denver’s GM in 2010, Ujiri has earned a reputation as shrewd deal-maker and top-notch talent evaluator. He received great value for Carmelo Anthony in the 2011 trade with the New York Knicks that landed the Nuggets Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Timofey Mozgov and a first-round pick. He also brought in star swingman Andre Iguodala at a good price.
The Nuggets finished third in the Western Conference in 2012-13 with a 57-25 record before losing to the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.
