MLSE boss Keith Pelley dodges questions about future of Raptors and Masai Ujiri

Article content

On a day aimed to be almost entirely about Toronto’s hockey team following the departure of its president, perhaps it’s not surprising that not much was said about Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment’s basketball team.

MLSE president Keith Pelley mostly spoke Friday about post-Brendan Shanahan life for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but in doing so, he revealed that the club’s president would not be replaced.

The conglomerate parted ways with Toronto FC and Toronto Argonauts president Bill Manning last July, but did not name a new president for either franchise. Respective general managers Jason Hernandez and Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons are in charge there.

Pelley said Friday that Leafs general manager Brad Treliving and head coach Craig Berube would work alongside himself, with Pelley acting as a “sounding board.”

“I’m not looking to replace Brendan,” Pelley said. “I’m looking to work more closely with Brad and Craig.”

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Play Video

Which brings us to the Raptors.

Team president and vice chairman Masai Ujiri has one year remaining on his latest contract, per Sportsnet, and he’s now MLSE’s lone remaining president, having first been given the job of general manager and executive vice-president of the Raptors in May of 2013. He became president in 2016.

Pelley didn’t provide any clarity on his future when asked about how MLSE’s structural and ownership changes (Rogers is set to take over 75% of the operation shortly and perhaps all by next summer when it can buy out Larry Tanenbaum, a staunch Ujiri supporter) would impact the Raptors and Ujiri.

“I think the Raptors under Masai Ujiri have obviously not only won a championship, but have started the rebuild and I’m optimistic about the season ahead,” Pelley said.

For his part, Ujiri consistently has said he wants to stay in Toronto and lead the Raptors to a second NBA title.

“My expectations for next season is we continue to grow. But the end goal for me is how do we win a championship? That’s always going to be the end goal and how do you build and grow towards that,” Ujiri said at season-ending media availability in April.

He also spoke highly of Pelley at the time.

“I don’t see anything (changing),” Ujiri said. “It’s unique that people kind of see it as new, but it’s almost kind of the same being that we have had Edward Rogers and Tony (Staffieri, CEO of Rogers) and these guys for how many years I’ve been here, so no relationships have changed.

“Everything has been normal. I think having a unique CEO like Keith, like that, really takes on the leadership and really communicates with all the team and sees the growth of all the teams.

“It’s different in some kind of way, but it’s what you want in the organization. So I’ve had the same relationships with all these people. Keith was new, but it’s honestly been great, but it’s been the same relationship and being the same way and the same communication, which I am happy about.”

Ujiri has been working on securing contract extensions for general manager Bobby Webster and assistant general manager Dan Tolzman, amongst others.

“I’m working on it now. All of them. Everybody. It’s a focus for me,” Ujiri said.

Other NBA teams and even a European soccer club have been trying to poach Ujiri for years and NBA insider Marc Stein reported just last week that the Atlanta Hawks have interest in trying to lure Ujiri away.