Masai Ujiri 'Really Frustrated' With Raptors, Linked to Wizards Job, NBA GM Says

Nick Nurse might not be the only prominent figure exiting the Toronto Raptors this offseason.

One NBA general manager told Steve Bulpett of Heavy that team president Masai Ujiri is "frustrated" with the organization and could wind up being pursued by the Washington Wizards.

"Masai is really, really frustrated," the GM said. "He's frustrated with [Fred] VanVleet also, because he hasn't shown him any indication that he wants to stay. So I think he's really down about that situation. Maybe it's because everything's still so fresh, but there's a lot they have to get done there. It didn't surprise anyone that Nick moved on.

"I don't know what they're going to do, but I've been hearing that Washington is coming after Masai again."

Ujiri has been with the Raptors for the last decade, helping build a roster that won the franchise's first NBA championship in 2019. Toronto has been in a little bit of a stasis over the past three seasons, missing the playoffs twice and losing in the first round in the team's 2022 appearance.

Major decisions will face Ujiri or whoever winds up replacing him leading the Raptors moving forward. Fred VanVleet (player option) can be a free agent this summer, and there's a legitimate question whether the team is better off re-signing him to a major deal or allowing him to walk and beginning a rebuilding process. Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby can become free agents after the 2023-24 season and are attractive trade chips.

The Wizards were rumored to be pursuing Ujiri in 2019 after the Raptors' championship and subsequently denied those links.

"Any reports that we have interest in Masai Ujiri as a candidate are simply not true, and we have never planned in any way to ask for permission to speak to him during our process," Monumental Sports & Entertainment CEO Ted Leonsis said in a statement at the time.

Washington hired Tommy Sheppard, who was fired after four seasons in April.