Raptors opt against hiring new president, keep Bobby Webster in charge of basketball operations
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The Toronto Raptors announced Monday, August 19, 2025, that they will leave the team’s president position vacant and continue with Bobby Webster as general manager and top decision-maker for basketball operations. The role had been open since Masai Ujiri’s departure.
“The title probably isn’t as important as the responsibilities,” Webster said when asked about not receiving the president designation. “I’m really thankful for this opportunity.”
A source familiar with the search process told Sportsnet that Webster, 40, can still earn a formal promotion depending on how he guides the franchise’s rebuild, handles the luxury-tax situation, and oversees the pairing of Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes. “At the end of the day, it will be about Bobby making the right decisions moving forward,” the source said.
Extensive candidate search
Before settling on Webster, Toronto interviewed several external candidates, according to multiple reports. Those meetings included:
- Pacers president Kevin Pritchard
- Former Kings general manager Monte McNair
- Former Raptors head coach Dwane Casey
- Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan
- Bulls general manager Marc Eversley
League sources told Sportsnet that Pritchard generated the most interest, but extracting him from Indiana proved difficult.
League skepticism over recent moves
Rival executives expressed doubts about Toronto’s roster strategy. One Eastern Conference official questioned the contracts given to Immanuel Quickley (five years, $162.5 million), Ingram (three years, $120 million), and Jakob Poeltl (three years, $84 million), saying, “I know sometimes you have to pay a premium for players in Canada, but that much?” Another executive cited an “excess of wings” and limited depth at point guard and center, adding, “They have a lot of nice pieces. It’s just not clear how they all fit.”
Some presidential candidates reportedly offered similar critiques during their interviews, with one labeling the Ingram trade a “desperate Hail Mary.”
Projected 2025-26 rotation
Eric Koreen of The Athletic projects a starting lineup of Barnes, Ingram, Quickley, Poeltl, and RJ Barrett. The expected bench group features Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jamal Shead, and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles.
The Raptors open training camp this fall aiming to move back into Eastern Conference contention under Webster’s direction.
Source: Hoops Rumors
