Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry hasn't been president Masai Ujiri's biggest fan since he traded his backcourt mate DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs over the summer. ESPN's Rachel Nichols asked the pressing question, one that Lowry's icy response got the message across just fine.
Nichols: How would you define your relationship with Masai Ujiri right now?
Lowry: “He's the president of basketball operations. That's it. I come here and do my job.”
Nichols: That answer leaves a lot of room for interpretation.
Lowry: “He does his job, I do my job, right? That's what you do.”
Nichols: That's where you stand?
Lowry: “That's where we stand.”
Kyle Lowry doesn't have much to say about Masai Ujiri. (via @Rachel__Nichols) pic.twitter.com/45YYg159Tq
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 5, 2018
The same matter-of-factly nature was used by Masai Ujiri when he was asked about his decision of bringing in Kawhi Leonard and risking his most loyal asset in order to do so.
Besides the obligatory recognition of what DeRozan had done for the franchise, Ujiri emphasized the business of basketball, the same way Lowry is in interviews concerning his relationship with the Raptors front office.
Kyle Lowry has also said he's extremely thankful of his three-year, $100 million deal, one for which he's strapped up this season, currently leading the league in assists (10.3 per game) in a renewed role as a dime maestro under new coach Nick Nurse.
There has been a lot of change in Toronto — and a lot of it has contributed to a sparkling 20-5 start to the season, but if there is something that won't change anytime soon is this distance between Lowry and Ujiri, one that wasn't present before the trade.
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