Raptors' Ujiri: 'No interest' in playing outside Toronto next season

A general view of the Toronto Raptors logo at center court before the start of a game between the Raptors and the Portland Trail Blazers at Scotiabank Arena. Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Masai Ujiri: Raptors have 'no interest' in playing outside Toronto next season

By Erin Walsh | Last updated 5/19/21

Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri is hopeful the team will be back in the Six next season after playing the entire 2020-21 season in Tampa due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Via Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press:

There's no guarantee that the Raptors will open at home next season - yet.

Masai: "I think the government knows what it needs to do. ... We have no interest in playing anywhere else. Tampa was great to us, but like Freddy said, Tampa is not Toronto."
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) May 19, 2021

Ujiri also said that the Raptors were at a significant disadvantage this season, according to The Athletic's Eric Koreen, due to relocation and a COVID-19 outbreak that halted the team's momentum prior to the All-Star break.

Ujiri added "there's a lot of work" to be done to strengthen the NBA's relationship with the Raptors, which is the only Canadian team in the league.

Masai says having the Raptors as the lone non-US team is a "pain in the ass" for the NBA from a logistical standpoint at times.

"Guess what? That's the business you put yourself in," he said.

"I don't want to call out anybody, but there's a lot of work we need to address."
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) May 19, 2021

Toronto missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013 after going 27-45 in Tampa. If the Raptors could've played in Toronto, things might have turned out differently.

Ujiri has not signed another contract with the Raptors beyond this season. Hee said negotiations will focus on changes he wants to see in order to get the team back on track, according to The Athletic's Blake Murphy.

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