Thread by @TorontoStar

#StarExclusive: Edward Rogers fought plans to keep Raptors’ Masai Ujiri, but was thwarted by MLSE head, sources say.

Story by @christinedobby and @SmithRaps.

thestar.com/business/2021/…

New details have emerged suggesting that behind the scenes the former chair of Rogers Communications Inc. tried to sabotage a high-performing executive with whom he had grown disenchanted. thestar.com/business/2021/…

After weeks of negotiations that began in mid-July, both MLSE chair Tanenbaum and Bell were on board with offering Ujiri a sweetened package that included incentive pay tied to a future increase in value of the Raptors. thestar.com/business/2021/…

According to two sources close to the MLSE board, Edward Rogers was the holdout.

He told his partners he felt the compensation was too high. Rogers was also convinced the Raptors could be managed without Ujiri’s help and by general manager Bobby Webster. thestar.com/business/2021/…

Sources said Rogers called Ujiri after a meeting and told him he wasn’t worth the money being paid.

An NBA source said the call left Ujiri feeling so angry and disrespected by Rogers that he considered taking a year off as president of the Raptors. thestar.com/business/2021/…

Others in the Maple Leaf Sports executive ranks went into damage-control mode, the two sources close to MLSE said, prompting a round of further calls to Ujiri to reassure him he would be protected from Rogers and urging him to ignore the comments. thestar.com/business/2021/…

To the relief of fans, the ploy by Rogers was unsuccessful, and the Raptors announced on Aug. 5 that Ujiri was staying on in Toronto as vice chairman and president of basketball operations. thestar.com/business/2021/…