Toronto Raptors: Complete 2018 offseason grades

Overall

This offseason has been the signature moment of Masai Ujiri’s tenure with the Toronto Raptors. When he first took over as general manager, he looked to have a fresh start and blow up the team he inherited.

He had traded Kyle Lowry, only to have the deal fall apart when James Dolan vetoed the trade. Rather than continue his attempts to blow up the team, he stuck with it. The core started winning, and he did everything in his power to find the right role players to highlight their strengths.

After being swept by a highly dysfunctional Cavaliers team, it seemed to be the last straw. Ujiri has taken control and is starting to build his vision of a team, rather than working to make an inherited roster work.

Firing Dwane Casey was a risky move, but it was yet another example of him seizing control of the franchise. The Kawhi Leonard trade was a bold move that shows he is not here just to build a competitive team, but to try and bring a championship to Toronto.

It wasn’t a perfect offseason for the Raptors, but the moves they made have put them on a clear path to the future, rather than exist on the treadmill of good but not good enough. From here they will either blossom as a contender, or be forced to find a new direction with their young core.

Final Grade: A-