-October/92: NBA commissioner David Stern opens league to expansion bids.
-July-September/93: The four groups bidding for franchises make presentations to NBA’s expansion committee. The eventually successful Toronto bid: the Professional Basketball Franchise Inc., was led by John Bitove Jr, Toronto’s primary food services company and front man ex-premier David Peterson. Other partners includes Don Biback, executive president of Cadillac Fairview, Bank of Nova Scotia, Allan Slaight of Slaight Communications Inc and Phil Granovsky, founder of Atlantic Packing Products. Bitove had caught the attention of the NBA by rescuing the 1994 World Championships for Toronto. The NBA had first turned its mind to the possibility of an NBA franchise for Toronto after a two-year campaign pursued by rival bidders the Palesta Group, headed by construction magnate Larry Tanenbaum. Bitove and Slaight each owned 44%, the bank 10%, Peterson 1% and Granovsky 1%. One of the other Toronto bids was headed by Palestra Group construction magnate Larry Tanenbaum of Toronto, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and Labatt Breweries (all of whom were involved with baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays). Also bidding were rock concert impresarios Bill Ballard and Michael Cohl, backed by NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson in their camp and the city of Toronto.
-September 30/93: A five-man NBA expansion committee recommends the Professional Basketball Franchise (Canada) Inc. proposal be accepted, largely, it appears, because of their proposal to build an arena in the downtown core, on the subway line. The other proposals had the arena situated further from the center of the city. The Raptors become the 28th team in the league and the first expansion franchise outside the United States. They must pay a record entry fee of $125-million (U.S.), nearly four times the $32.5-million paid by four expansion teams in the late 1980s. The fee entitles teams to sign players and take part in league board meetings. The league imposes a salary cap of two-thirds of league cap of $23-million in year one, In year two, it’s to be 75% of $24 million and only in year three (1997), will they be entitled to go to 100% of league salary cap, then projected to be $25-million. It is agreed that the team will play its first two seasons in the SkyDome, while an arena is being built. A battle soon emerges, however, about the provincial betting game, Pro-Line, while allowed fans to be on NBA games, a practice the league disdained. The province, however, objects to the loss of $100 million annually from its coffers. After three months of negotiations the province relents. The NBA agrees to contribute $1.5 million to medical research, $2 million to a tourism campaign and to join with the Raptors in creating a charitable foundation.
-May 15/94: Toronto announces its franchise will be known as the Raptors, after conducting a nation-wide “name game” to select the nickname, team colours and logo. The game generated more than 2,00 entries, led by the animal names Beavers, Bobcats, Dragons, Grizzlies, Hogs (for Hogtown), Raptors, Scorpions, T-Rex, Tarantulas, and Terriers. The Raptors are chosen because of the population of dinosaurs and the hope that it would be appeal to children and the next generation of fans. The team colours will be Raptor Red, purple, black and Naismith silver, in honour of the Canadian creator of the game. Sales of Raptors gear top $20 million within a month.
-May 24/94: Isiah Thomas signs on as executive vice-president, basketball. A former Indiana U and Detroit Pistons star, Thomas was also chairman of American Speeding Printing Centres Inc. Drafted by Detroit in 1982, he was named to the league’s all-rookie team and eventually led the Pistons to the 1989 and 1990 NBA titles. A torn Achilles tendon ended his playing career in 1994. Thomas exercises an ownership option, picking up a 4.5% stake. He is entitled to buy up to 9% of the franchise.
-September 20/94: The Raptors purchase Canada Post property at Bay Street and Lake Shore Boulevard for their arena. Its projected cost is $120-million. The Raptors had earlier proposed to build the arena next to the Eaton Centre shopping complex but the site was deemed too small for a 22,500 seat arena.
-September /94: Bob Zuffelato is hired as director of scouting. Zuffelato is a 33-year NBA vet, having previously been a coach, a scout and a direct of player development.
-November/94: Glen Grunwald joins Raptors as vice-president of legal affairs and assistant general manager after a four-year stint with the Denver Nuggets. Co-captain with Isiah Thomas of the 1981 Indiana squad which captured the NCAA title, Grunwald was drafted in the first round of the NBA draft by the Boston Celtics but did not play in the NBA. He earned a law degree from Northwestern in 1984, was a Rhodes Scholar nominee and worker for a Chicago law firm before becoming the Nuggets chief legal counsel.
-November 4/94: The NBA board of governors officials awards the Raptors a franchise.
-December 21/94: The Raptors get approval to build an arena at the site of historic Postal Delivery Building at 40 Bay Street. For 4 acres of land, the Raptors will pay $30-million, plus another $30-million over 20 years. Advertising rights inside the building are sold to Ford of Canada for $35-milion.
-December/94: The Raptors announce they have fulfilled the NBA’s requirement of selling 12,500 seats, a move accomplished in part by Shoppers Drug Mart announcing that they have purchased 4,250 seats at a cost of $4.7-million.
-January 31/95: Raptors unveil their logo ‘Globoraptor’, a white tooth and Naismith silver in claws.
-February 24/95: Bitove announces that the Canada Post site has been officially purchased and unveils a $40-million deal to name the arena the Air Canada Centre.
-March 10/95: The NBA announces it has inked a three-year deal with CTV to provide exclusive coverage across Canada of Raptors and Grizzlies games, as well as the all-star game, six playoff games and the NBA finals. A total of about 30 games.
-May 15/95: The Raptors fork over the US$125-million fee to join the league and officially become a franchise. They hold their first free-agent camp at Seneca College from May 26-28.
-June/95: Raptors implement a controversial seat-licensing scheme, charging up to $8,750 plus taxes per ticket on top of regular price of admission. The top ticket $13,887 per year.
-September 14/95: The NBA buys labour peace for six years by approving a new collective agreement. The players union had negotiated a six-year agreement with the league in August. But a millionaire’s revolution led by Michael Jordan sought to decertify the players union for having struck the deal. On September 12th, it is announced that the players have voted 226-134 to keep the union, in a vote essentially regarded as a referendum on the collective agreement. Many players believe the league locked out the players July 1 to coerce them into voting for the union.
The deal includes a provision which limits the payroll of the Grizzlies and Raptors to 66% of the salary cap, or just over $15-million (U.S.), as compared to $23-million for established clubs. It also puts caps on the salaries paid to rookies depending upon their selection position in the NBA entry draft. The levels were determined by averaging the salaries of first-round players depending on where they were taken in the draft over the previous seven years, with a 20% leeway. The so-called ‘Larry Bird Rule’ allows teams to sign its own free agents at any price without worrying about the salary cap.
-October 1/95: The Raptors pay a $1-million fine to the charity of their choice for failing to start construction of the arena on time. The penalty was part of a deal in which the province dropped NBA basketball from its Pro-Line betting game.
-October 6-12/95: Toronto Raptors hold their first-ever training camp at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton.
-October/95: The Raptors and Grizzlies inaugurate an annual Naismith Cup exhibition match between the two teams to promote the sport in Canada. Held preseason games in Toronto, Saint John, N.B., Saskatoon, Sask., and in first Naismith match, in Winnipeg, in which the Raptors defeat the Grizzlies win 98-77 in a sluggish affair.
-November 3/95: The Raptors defeat the New Jersey Nets, 94-79, before a record crowd of 33,306 gathered at the SkyDome in the NBA’s historic return to Canada.
-September 26/96: Team president John Bitove announces that he has secured financing for the Air Canada Centre, now projected to cost $200-million.
-October 1/96: Raptors pay another $1-million fine for missing another construction deadline.
-October 13/96: Allan Slaight, owner of Standard Broadcasting Corp., triggers a ‘shotgun claus’ in shareholders’ agreement, giving Bitove until Nov 14 the option of either buying out the advertising executive or selling his stake. Slaight says that he is seeking an arrangement in which the Raptors share the new arena with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Team president John Bitove is opposed because his father and Maple Leafs owner Steve Stavros are cousins who can’t abide each other’s presence.
-October 31/96: Maple Leaf Gardens chairman Steve Stavro says the hockey team has no interest in moving to the Air Canada Centre.
-November 15/96: Team president John Bitove Jr. tearfully admits he had to accept the offer of fellow shareholder Allan Slaight to buy out his interest in the club for $88-million. Each own 39.5% of the team, the Bank of Nova Scotia owns 10%, executive vice-president Isiah Thomas 9% and 1% is held by former Ontario premier David Peterson and the estate of the late Phil Granovsky.
-November 22/96: Former SkyDome president Richard Peddie is appointed as team president and chief operating officer, replacing John Bitove.
-November 25/96: Raptors announce they have finally purchased Air Canada site, enabling them to apply for building permits.
-February 3/97: Raptors say they will build Air Canada centre on their own, but send “final offer” to Leafs.
-April 15/97: Leafs confirm they’re studying Union Station as a site for new hockey arena; their plan envisions the Air Canada site as a bus terminal. Isiah Thomas studies possible purchase of controlling stake in the Raptors.
-April 21/97: Allan Slaight and Isiah Thomas sign a letter of intent which would see the general manager purchase majority control in the franchise. Partners aren’t revealed but are said to include the Chase Manhattan Bank and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. The deal ultimately falls apart.
-June 24/97: The Leaf’s Union Station plan falls apart. City officials and the Leafs can’t agree on terms. They are “$40-million apart” on the details.
-August 3/97: Allan Slaight turns down Isiah Thomas’ offer for majority control. Thomas and partner David Thomson, son of media baron Ken Thomson, are unable to find common financial ground. It is believed that Slaight was seeking $109-million (U.S.), while Thomas was offering $75-million (U.S.). Despite five months of negotiations and the deep pockets of billionaire media scion David Thompson, the pair can’t agree on a final total. Thomas subsequently floats rumors that his personnel decisions were being nixed because of Slaight’s stinginess, a charge Slaight repeatedly denies.
-November 20/97: General manager Isiah Thomas, or Lord Thomas III as he was often referred to in the media, resigns and accepts a US$1-million/year offer from NBC to be a colour commentator. Thomas had squabbled endlessly with majority owner Allan Slaight over control, finances, with the Raptors invariably in financial trouble because of costs associated with construction of the $200-million Air Canada Centre. Thomas was paid roughly $900,000 per year and at the time, the pair are at odds over a raise and contract extension. Thomas’ contract was scheduled to expire in May/1999. Thomas’s lawyer Frank Vuno told a radio station he didn’t believe the Raptors were bargaining in good faith. Slaight purchases Thomas’ stake to increase his ownership share of the Raptors to 90%. “In order for the arena to work, the Maple leafs have to be in the building,” Thomas said. ‘If they’re not in the building you have to have enough money to wait three or four years until there’s a change in the Maple Leafs ownership. I ask Allan, ‘do we have enough money to last three or four years?’ And he says ‘trust me.’ I say: show me’ because the numbers I’ve seen (during the due-diligence process in connection with the proposed takeover) don’t add up. We’re not going to make it. If I’m going to keep putting money into the tin (to finance the arena) I want to know what my investment is here. Where’s my return?”
-November 21/97: Raptors legal counsel Glen Grunwald signs a multi-year deal as Thomas’ interim successor.
-February 12/98: After years of posturing and squabbling over the virtues of having two professional teams share an arena, and after a two-week courtship brokered by Sun Media Corp. president Paul Godfrey, Maple Leaf Gardens Inc. purchases the Raptors and the half-built Air Canada Centre for a sum projected to be in the neighbourhood of $500-million. Some $288-million is the projected cost of the Air Canada Centre, $179-million is the projected cost of the Raptors and $36-million the projected cost of purchasing Union Station from the city and Toronto Terminal Railways. The station will serve as the primary entrance to the arena. The Leafs essentially walk away from their own proposal to build an arena at Exhibition place. Radio tycoon Allan Slaight sent a memo to Steve Stavros proposing the deal 2 weeks earlier. Two months earlier Stavros had said he’d never make a deal with the Raptors to share an arena. The seating plan includes 20,000 seats for basketball and 164 corporate boxes (an increase of 60 from that proposed by the Slaight group.) The Raptors new owners are grocer Stavro, who owns the Knob Hill supermarket chain; Larry Tanenbaum, who’d been involved in a rival bid for an NBA franchise in 1993 and now has a 12.5% stake, and the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board. Stavros says that “single ownership of the two teams made one arena possible. The economics make much more sense.” The final cost of the stadium is projected to be $265-million. It is to be financed by Maple Leaf Sports with partners the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Fund and the Toronto-Dominion Bank.
-March 10/98: Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd. names Richard Peddie as president of the transition team that will oversee the Raptors and Maple Leafs, as well as construction of the Air Canada Centre.
-March 27/98: The NBA approves the sale of the Raptors to Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd.
-July 1/98: Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd. is renamed Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd., the parent company of the Raptors, the Toronto Maple Leafs, Air Canada Centre and Maple Leaf Gardens.
-September 30/99: The Raptors unveil new uniforms.
-September 7/01: Raptors TV officially hits the airwaves.
-February 11/03: Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. announces a new ownership structure with Larry Tanenbaum becoming chairman of the board.
-November 17/03: NBA Board of Governors approves realignment plan that will take effect for the 2004-05 season, moving the Raptors to the Atlantic Division, joining Boston, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia.
-April 1/04: Fire Glen Grunwald as senior vice-president and general manager. Hire Jack McCloskey as interim general manager
-June 7/2004: Appoint Rob Babcock as general manager, Wayne Embry as senior advisor to the general manager and Alex
English as director of player development and chief scout.
-June 28/2004: Reorganize scouting department. Mike Evans is named a scout. A month later, Scott Howard is named director of international player personnel and Mike McCollow is named assistant director of player personnel and director of video scouting.
-June 30/2004: Hire Pete Babcock as director of NBA player development.
-April 18/05: Name Wayne Embry senior advisor to the president.
-January 26/06: Fire general manager Rob Babcock. Name Wayne Embry (senior advisor to the president) interim general manager.
-January 27/06: Interim GM Wayne Embry fires director of NBA Player Development Pete Babcock and director of International Player Development Scott Howard.
-February 27/06: Add Rudy D’Amico, Darrell Hedric and Larry Siegfried to scouting staff. D’Amico was European scout for the Cleveland Cavaliers for previous 11 years. He will be based in Italy. Hedric spent the three previous season with the Cavaliers, eight of them as head scout. He was formerly the coach of Miami University of Ohio from 1970-84, where his record was 216-157. Seigfried was a nine-year NBA vet and assistant coach at Ohio State and then the Houston Rockets before joining the Raptors.
-February 28/06: Name Bryan Colangelo as president and general manager, raiding him from the Phoenix Suns.
-June 8/06: Raptors ink affiliation with Colorado 14ers of NBA Developmental League
-June 22/06: Appoint Italian manager Maurizio Gherardini Vice-President/Assistant General Manager. Gherardini becomes the first European to hold a senior management position with an NBA franchise.
-June 27/06: Named Marc Eversley Director of Basketball Operations.
-May 14/2007: Bryan Colangelo is named NBA Executive of the Year.
-July 30/07: Name Masai Ujiri as director of global scouting.
-September 12/07: Name Eric Hughes as basketball development consultant.
-February 29/08: Name John Lucas as a basketball development consultant for the remainder of the season.
-July 12/09: Name Gord Herbert as assistant coach/player development.
-July 22/08: Maurizio Gherardini (formerly Vice President/Assistant General Manager) is promoted to Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations. Marc Eversley (formerly Director of Basketball Operations) has been promoted to Assistant General Manager, Player Development. Masai Ujiri (formerly Director of Global Scouting) has been promoted to Assistant General Manager, Player Personnel. Jim Kelly (formerly Director of Player Personnel), entering his 15th season with the team, has been promoted to Senior Director of Player Personnel. In addition to his prominent scouting role of all college, professional and international prospects, Kelly has managed the team’s recent free agent camps, draft workouts and summer league team. Steve Fruitman (formerly Director of Basketball Finance) has been promoted to Senior Director of Basketball Administration. Micah Nori (formerly Advance Scout) has been promoted to Director of NBA Scouting. Nori, entering his 11th season with Toronto, will take over the management of the video scouting/editing suite.
-December 5, 2008: Lawrence M. Tanenbaum, the President of Kilmer Sports Inc. and Chairman of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. (MLSE), announced he has agreed to acquire an additional 7.7% of MLSE from CTVglobemedia Inc. As a result of the purchase, Mr. Tanenbaum has increased his ownership to 20.5% making him the second largest shareholder of MLSE. The Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, which holds 58.4%, continues to be the largest shareholder in MLSE. After the transaction, CTVgm will hold a 7.7% interest in MLSE. “Notwithstanding the current uncertain economic climate, I remain committed to Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and to our teams on a long term basis”, said Tanenbaum. “I see no better way to reflect my commitment than to increase my investment. When the opportunity to purchase half of CTVglobemedia’s shares came up, I was thrilled to further evidence my commitment to our teams by increasing my ownership position.” Ivan Fecan, CEO of CTVglobemedia says: “It is no longer strategically important for CTVgm to be MLSE’s second largest shareholder. So we were delighted to sell half our position to Mr. Tanenbaum, while still retaining a seat at the table.”
-May 21/13: Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment President and CEO Tim Leiweke announced Tuesday that he has revamped the senior leadership of the Raptors. Bryan Colangelo has had his contract extended as the team’s President and will report directly to Mr. Leiweke. The club has also created a new position of General Manager that will have final authority on all basketball-related decisions. “After thorough evaluation and considering all the options, we have concluded that these changes will be in the best interest of the organization,” said Leiweke. “By splitting the roles and having both men report directly to me, we are adding depth to the basketball operations group and giving the Toronto Raptors the best chance of competing for championships in the future. The new GM will inherit a great situation in Toronto, as all of my due diligence around the League indicates that we have a fine, young core and a few key moves will make us a playoff contender next season.” While the General Manager will have autonomy over basketball decisions, Colangelo will continue to advise Leiweke on basketball-related matters while also broadening his involvement with the business side of the franchise. “The future of this team and this organization excites me more than ever, and I am looking forward to being part of our future success,” said Colangelo. “I will add whatever is necessary to help improve our basketball team while also expanding my efforts to increase brand awareness and influence growth of the game across this great country.”
-June 1/13: Sign Masai Ujiri as General Manager. Ujiri, 42, was named the NBA’s Executive of the Year after the 2012-13 campaign in his capacity as Executive Vice-President of Basketball Operations for the Denver Nuggets. He replaces Bryan Colangelo, who is now the Raptors’ President. In his three seasons in Denver, Ujiri built the Nuggets into a team that won a franchise-record 57 games and delivered an NBA-best 38-3 record at home this past season. A native of Nigeria, and the first African-born GM in the NBA, Ujiri will report to Tim Leiweke, MLSE’s President and CEO. “We feel very lucky to have Masai in our organization. He is a proven judge of talent and we look for him to be a big part of creating a winning atmosphere, leading us to the playoffs and, ultimately, delivering NBA championships for Toronto,” said Leiweke. “I would also like to publicly thank the Kroenke’s in Denver for being such a class organization that they would allow Masai to pursue his dream. They put him first in all of our discussions.” Ujiri spent three years with the Raptors after joining the team as director of global scouting in 2007. He was elevated to assistant general manager in 2008. Ujiri is thrilled to return to the franchise that first gave him a front office position. “To come back to the Raptors, to live in such a great city, and work in an organization that has committed all the resources necessary to win championships was a huge factor in the decision,” said Ujiri. “I have already developed a great relationship with Tim Leiweke and I can’t wait to get back to Canada to build a team that is poised to take the next step in the NBA.” Ujiri tells the Globe & Mail that “I’m tired of all this, people come here and everybody calls the team soft or call the team pushovers or all the stupid names. You come to Canada and you come to play. That’s the identity we’re trying to build here. We are in Canada and this is our team. We’re going to be tough out there.”
-June 19/13: Name Bobby Webster as the club’s Vice President, Basketball Management & Strategy. Webster joins the Raptors after working for the NBA league office in New York for the past seven seasons, most recently in the role of Associate Director, Salary Cap Management. “I am delighted to have Bobby join our basketball operations team,” said Masai Ujiri, Raptors President and General Manager, Basketball Operations. “His skill set will be valuable in a number of areas, and his experience and knowledge of the CBA and its complexities from a League level will be a great asset to the organization.”
-June 26/13: Raptors announce that Bryan Colangelo, President of Team and Business Operations, will step aside and become a consultant for the team and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment moving forward. Colangelo joined the organization in February 2006 as President and General Manager. “Having had a better chance to reflect on things for the past several weeks, I have concluded that stepping away from my position is the best course of action for the organization and everyone involved,” said Colangelo. “I would like to personally thank Larry Tanenbaum, Dale Lastman, MLSE’s ownership and family and the wonderful people of Toronto for the opportunity to serve them over the last seven years. The support, kindness and adulation that has been displayed to me and my family has been overwhelming, and our friendships and experiences will last a lifetime.”
-July 2/13: Name Jeff Weltman as Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations. Weltman joins the Raptors following five seasons as assistant general manager with the Milwaukee Bucks. “Jeff possesses a wealth of experience and a solid reputation in basketball circles,” said Masai Ujiri, Raptors President and General Manager, Basketball Operations. “I had the pleasure of working with Jeff in Denver and I’ve seen first-hand the basketball acumen he will bring to our staff.” Weltman spent one season in Detroit as the Director of Basketball Administration before moving to Milwaukee in 2008. From 2001-06, Weltman served as the Assistant General Manager with the Denver Nuggets. He played a role in helping Ujiri join the Nuggets staff as an international scout.
-October 29/15: Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. names Michael Friisdahl president and CEO. “Given our unparalleled sports executive and team leadership, MLSE’s CEO search focused on the appointment of a seasoned Canadian business executive to lead the organization and we’ve found exactly what we were looking for in Michael,” said chairman Larry Tanenbaum. “As both an entrepreneur and a C-level executive in consumer-facing businesses at the Canadian and international level, Michael has shown an unwavering commitment to delivering for the customer. His focus will be on supporting our fans and our teams while maximizing the potential of MLSE’s iconic sports, entertainment and real estate assets.” Friisdahl has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada’s Leisure Group since it was formed in 2012, combining Air Canada Vacations tour operations with Air Canada rouge, the company’s successful leisure airline. Friisdahl was previously CEO of Thomas Cook North America and a member of the international Group Executive Board of Thomas Cook Group plc.
-September 2/2016: Sign President Masai Ujiri to a multi-year contract extension and promoted Jeff Weltman to general manager and Bobby Webster to assistant general manager/vice-president basketball strategy. “I am grateful to the Board and Mr. Tanenbaum for the opportunity to continue our progress to build the Raptors into one of the top franchises in the NBA,” said Ujiri. “I’m also excited that Jeff and Bobby are being rewarded for their hard work and valuable contributions to our program. My family thanks the NBA, Raptors players and coaches, staff, Raptors fans, the city of Toronto and Canada for this opportunity. Toronto is home for us.” Chairman Larry Tanenbaum said “the gratitude and respect we hold for Masai and our Raptors senior management team are reflected in our Board’s action to extend Masai’s contract.” Weltman joined the Raptors on July 2, 2013 as executive vice president, basketball operations following five seasons as assistant general manager with the Milwaukee Bucks. The longtime NBA executive has also been director of basketball administration with the Detroit Pistons, assistant general manager with the Denver Nuggets and director of player personnel with the Los Angeles Clippers. Webster was named vice president, basketball management and strategy July 3, 2013. Webster joined the Raptors after working for the NBA league office in New York the previous seven seasons.
-June 28/17: The Toronto Raptors promote Bobby Webster to general manager, Dan Tolzman to assistant general manager / vice president, player personnel and Keith Boyarsky to vice president, basketball strategy & research. Masai Ujiri will continue to oversee basketball operations as president of the club. Webster joined the Raptors front office in 2013 as vice president, basketball management & strategy. He was promoted to assistant general manager / vice president, basketball strategy in September 2016. He came to the Raptors after working for the NBA league office in New York for the previous seven seasons in the NBA’s CBA group. Tolzman has served the past two seasons as director, player personnel / general manager of Raptors 905, the team’s NBA G League affiliate. He will continue to serve as Raptors 905’s general manager in his new role. Raptors 905 has compiled a 62-38 (.620) regular-season record during its first two seasons under Tolzman’s direction. During the 2016-17 campaign, Raptors 905 completed the regular season with a 39-11 (.780) record (second-most wins in G League history) and a 6-1 record in the post-season en route to winning the team’s first NBA G League Championship. Tolzman joined the Raptors as director of scouting in 2013 and organized the team’s scouting efforts for the NBA draft and free agency preparation. He was a member of Ujiri’s staff in Denver, serving as scouting coordinator from 2011-13 and also worked in the media relations department from 2004-09. Boyarsky joined the Raptors as an analytics consultant during the 2009-10 season and served as director of analytics since 2013-14. He advises management in player evaluation and roster construction, while providing the coaching staff with data-driven scouting and analysis. Boyarsky adapts new technologies and data sources to lead the Raptors’ efforts in innovating new competitive advantages.
-May 11/18: Raptors promote Kyle Dubas to general manager.
-October 29/2019: Promote Alex McKechnie to Vice President, Player Health and Performance and signed him to a contract extension. McKechnie joined the Raptors in 2011 to oversees all athletic training, rehabilitation and strength and conditioning. Prior to that, worked for 13 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, including eight as the athletic performance coordinator. A native of Glasgow, Scotland, McKechnie graduated from the Leeds School of Physiotherapy and came to Canada in 1974 to be the head physiotherapist to the Varsity Athletic Program at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia. He also served as physiotherapist for the Vancouver Whitecaps of the North American Soccer League (1974-82) and the 1976 Canadian Olympic Soccer Team. McKechnie was a consultant for the Vancouver Canucks (1980-2000) and the Canadian Senior Men’s National Soccer Team in 2000 that won the CONCACAF Gold Cup. He was inducted into the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame in 2018 and is a member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists and Canadian Physiotherapy Association.
February 4/2021: Sign general manager Bobby Webster to a multi-year contract extension. Webster, 36, a native of Hawaii, was named Raptors general manager in June 2017. He was one of the main architects of the 2019 NBA Championship team and has been part of a leadership team whose rosters have earned six Atlantic Division titles. “I think everyone knows what Bobby brings to our organization: intelligence, poise, and creativity,” Raptors President Masai Ujiri said. “I’m very pleased that our team will continue to benefit from his many skills for seasons to come.” Webster said “it’s great to be able to continue the work of building the next Raptor championship team – a goal which is part of our organizational DNA,” Webster said. “I’m grateful to Larry Tanenbaum, MLSE ownership and leadership, our great players and staff, and the people of Toronto for making this my home for the past years, and for the future.” Webster has also held the title of assistant general manager and vice president, basketball management and strategy. He joined the Raptors after working for the NBA league office in New York the previous seven seasons.