The Toronto Raptors begin their series with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night, but general manager Masai Ujiri will be in New York City dealing with another matter.
Ujiri is set to represent the Raptors at Tuesday’s NBA Draft Lottery, which takes place at 8 p.m. ET.
The Raptors are in the lottery as part of a 2013 trade with the New York Knicks involving 2006 No. 1 overall pick Andrea Bargnani.
In the trade, the Raptors acquired New York’s first-round pick in 2016 but when the Knicks traded for Carmelo Anthony two years earlier, they traded the right to swap first-rounders in 2016 with the Denver Nuggets, which was evidently pulled off by Ujiri.
As a result, the Raptors cannot finish with the No. 1 overall pick because Denver will get the better of its own or New York’s pick but Toronto can finish with the No. 2 or No. 3 overall selection.