The Dallas Mavericks made a major front-office move on Monday, hiring former Toronto Raptors executive Masai Ujiri as team president and alternate governor. Known for his championship pedigree, Ujiri was at the helm of the Raptors when they pulled off the blockbuster trade for Kawhi Leonard, leading Toronto to its first NBA title in 2019 during Leonard's lone season with the team.
At 55, Ujiri steps into a role that has been in flux since the Mavericks fired general manager Nico Harrison in November. Harrison's tenure was marked by the controversial trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, a deal that backfired and set the franchise back. Ujiri replaces him after a 13-year stint with the Raptors, where he rose from executive vice president and general manager to president and vice chairman before being let go last June.
Ujiri will oversee all basketball operations and work with team leadership to shape the Mavericks' long-term vision. The move comes after former Dallas guard Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi served as co-general managers following Harrison's dismissal. They orchestrated the trade of Anthony Davis to Washington in February—Davis, a centerpiece of the ill-fated Doncic deal, has been plagued by injuries.
Ujiri inherits a promising young core, headlined by Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft. The Mavericks landed Flagg with just a 1.8% chance in the lottery, a stroke of luck that could reshape the franchise. Despite missing the playoffs the past two seasons, Dallas is eyeing a return to contention after reaching the 2024 NBA Finals behind Doncic and Kyrie Irving, falling to Boston in five games.
If Ujiri retains Irving, the Mavericks would boast a dynamic duo of one-and-done Duke alums: Irving and Flagg, who became just the fourth freshman to win AP men's player of the year while leading the Blue Devils to the Final Four. However, Irving missed the entire 2025-26 season after tearing his ACL in March 2025, so the pair has yet to share the court. Dallas also features a promising young center from Duke, adding to the team's youthful foundation.
With Ujiri's proven track record of building winners, Mavericks fans have reason to be optimistic about the road ahead.