Masai Ujiri is one of the best executives in the NBA and if the New York Knicks try to acquire him from the Raptors, it’s going to cost them.
There could be major changes coming to the New York Knicks after this season. Although it’s only December, Toronto Raptors team president Masai Ujiri is already a hot name to take over the Knicks at the end of this season.
It’s too far off to know if Ujiri will be a realistic possibility for the Knicks, but if he is, the Raptors will be entitled to some form of compensation. Ujiri is under contract through 2021. According to Ian Begley of SNY, acquiring Ujiri would likely require two first-round draft picks.
“But teams talk, and a baseline of two first-round picks is where multiple SNY sources familiar with the dynamic of such negotiations expect any Knicks-Ujiri talks to start,” wrote Begley.
This will spark plenty of debate over whether or not an executive is worth multiple first-round picks. That would seem like a steep price, but the Knicks have a treasure trove of quality draft picks at their disposal.
The current front office of Steve Mills and Scott Perry are definitely on the hot seat after firing David Fizdale. Mills and Perry’s hopes are riding on interim head coach Mike Miller. Through four games, Miller’s Knicks are 2-2 with an impressive win over the Sacramento Kings under their belt.
New York travels to Denver for the final game of a four-game Western Conference road trip. The Knicks have guaranteed a split already with wins over the aforementioned Kings and the Golden State Warriors. The Knicks and Nuggets tip-off at 8 p.m. ET.
