Toronto Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri has opened up about how his relationship has been with former coach Dwane Casey and ex-star DeMar DeRozan.

Ujiri is the architect behind the Raptors' unprecedented championship-winning season last term. However, as part of the team's journey to unrivaled success, some tough decisions had to be made along the way. This included the sacking of then-reigning Coach of the Year Casey followed by the DeRozan trade two months later.

According to Ujiri, these were just the type of tough decisions he had to make as the team's GM. The 49-year-old also shared what transpired moments before he had to deliver the news to Casey and DeRozan.

“It's not easy,” the Raptors boss said of such decisions in an interview with TNT's Ernie Johnson that aired on the NBA's Twitter account, via ESPN's Tim Bontemps. “If you have that human part of you, you feel it in your heart.

“I will never forget, I will never, ever forget having to do that with Coach Casey and walking to his office, waking up that morning. Many times I wanted to move it and change it or think that you're not making the right decision. It was incredibly hard, because Casey is an incredible person, and so great to work with … DeMar, I was in the hotel in Kenya, and I walked around that hotel at 4 a.m., 5 a.m., for a couple hours, trying to gather up enough strength and courage to make this phone call. I will never forget it.”

Ujiri went on to say that he seems to have repaired his relationship with Casey, but the same cannot be said about DeRozan.

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“With Casey, it has gotten so much better now with his family and him. With DeMar there is still plenty of work to be done,” Masai Ujiri admitted. “But, by the grace of God, it will all get better. We have to continue to make these decisions that are tough. But that's the business of basketball, and the position that we are in.”

There was no shortage of criticism thrown towards Ujiri's way when he fired Casey and traded away DeRozan — a beloved figure by Raptors fans. However, both proved to be the right decision in hindsight, with the Canadian franchise winning their first NBA title last season.