Eastern Notes: Raptors, Splitter, Sixers, Ball, Knicks
When Raptors assistant general manager Dan Tolzman spoke to reporters on Tuesday ahead of the 2026 NBA draft, he didn’t offer a ton of juicy tidbits. As Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca relays (via Twitter), Tolzman suggested the draft is fairly wide open after the first 10 or 12 picks, said the cost to move up would be high and that the Raptors are happy at No. 19, and indicated that the team will take a “best player available” approach to that pick.
However, the assistant GM did acknowledge that Toronto in recent years have been lacking a frontcourt player who can be a lob threat on offense and protect the rim on defense, Lewenberg notes. While Tolzman said the Raptors are “taking a close look” at players who fit that bill, that hole doesn’t necessarily need to be addressed in the draft — it could also be an area the team focuses on in free agency or on the trade market.
We have more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Tiago Splitter‘s new contract as the head coach of the Bulls includes three guaranteed seasons and a team option for a fourth year, according to longtime Portland-area reporter Dwight Jaynes, who tweets that Splitter’s salary is believed to be around the league average for a head coach.
- The Sixers have started bringing in potential targets for their No. 22 pick for pre-draft workouts, with Koa Peat (Arizona), Dailyn Swain (Texas), Chris Cenac (Houston), Allen Graves (Santa Clara), Isaiah Evans (Duke), and Zuby Ejiofor (St. John’s) all scheduled to have visited the team by the end of the week, per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). Philadelphia is also lining up Zoom meetings with certain first-round prospects who won’t be visiting the team in person, adds Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).
- Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused him of running over and breaking a 12-year-old’s foot with his vehicle, reports Julia Coin of The Charlotte Observer. The child’s family had been seeking $3.75MM in damages in the suit, which was filed in 2024. The terms of the settlement agreement aren’t known.
- UConn forward Alex Karaban (No. 30 on ESPN’s big board) and St. John’s forward Dillon Mitchell (No. 42) visited the Knicks on Wednesday for a pre-draft workout, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). New York controls the 24th, 31st, and 55th overall picks in next week’s draft.
Raptors Agree To Extend GM Bobby Webster’s Contract
The Raptors have agreed to a multiyear extension for general manager Bobby Webster, according to a team press release. In addition to the extension, Webster has already earned a promotion, adding the new title of executive vice president to his existing GM title.
Webster, 41, is headed into his 10th season as the Raptors’ general manager. He assumed full leadership of the front office in August 2025 following the team’s split with president Masai Ujiri. Before being elevated to the GM role, he served as assistant GM and VP, basketball management and strategy.
Michael Grange of Sportsnet reported last month that an extension for Webster was likely. Toronto’s head of basketball operations had one year left on his contract and the organization was seeking continuity after making its first playoff appearance in four years.
“We’re building something special here, and I’m proud to continue to lead the Toronto Raptors as we work towards our next championship,” Webster said in a statement. “Thank you to (Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment CEO) Keith (Pelley) and the MLSE Board of Directors for their confidence and support. This is a franchise that’s focused on the future, and we’re ready for what’s next.”
“Bobby has an elite understanding of the game and the NBA, and he’s used that to build a team that competes at a high level,” Pelley added in a statement of his own. “It’s been an exciting year for the Raptors. They were a joy to watch compete together, and with Bobby and the Raptors, we’ve seen the results, and we believe in where his leadership will take us.”
The Raptors also announced contract extensions for three additional front office members: Dan Tolzman, vice president, player personnel and assistant general manager; Keith Boyarsky, vice president, basketball strategy and research; and Tyla Flexman, vice president, operations.
“This group has been integral to building the organization and shaping our long-term vision – their leadership, expertise and commitment is second to none,” Webster said.
Head coach Darko Rajakovic could be next in line for an extension, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. Rajakovic also has one year left on his contract.
Extensions Expected For Raptors GM Bobby Webster, Coach Darko Rajakovic
Raptors general manager Bobby Webster and head coach Darko Rajakovic are both expected to receive extension offers in the next few weeks, sources tell Michael Grange of Sportsnet. The organization is hoping to emphasize continuity after making its first playoff appearance in four years, Grange adds, and Webster and Rajakovic have one year left on their respective contracts.
“You don’t have your head coach and general manager head into the final year of their contracts as lame ducks, not after a playoff year,” one source told Grange.
Details of Webster’s next deal will be worked out in meetings with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), the Raptors’ parent company, but Grange hears there’s a “mutual understanding” between the parties. Rajakovic had a year added to his three-year contract during the 2024/25 season, and Grange expects Webster to handle negotiations with his coach.
Grange also points out that there’s a fresh sense of urgency with former team president Masai Ujiri now running the Mavericks. He has several positions to fill in Dallas, and there has been speculation that he might target Webster to be his general manager. However, Grange states that he spoke to multiple sources who dismissed that idea, believing the Raptors wouldn’t let Webster go and that he wouldn’t want to revert to a secondary role under Ujiri when he’s in charge of the operation in Toronto.
Grange suggests that it’s more likely Ujiri will target members of the talent evaluation staff that he assembled with the Raptors. That includes assistant general manager Dan Tolzman, a player personnel expert who also worked with Ujiri in Denver. Tolzman played a significant role in building the 2019 championship team and helped identify young talents such as Scottie Barnes, Ja’Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead and Collin Murray-Boyles on the current roster.
Grange views Tolzman as a potential GM candidate with the Mavericks, while Toronto’s director of player personnel Patrick Engelbrecht and director of global scouting Curtis Crawford may also join Ujiri in Dallas.
MLSE president Keith Pelley didn’t put any pressure on Webster to improve the team heading into the trade deadline, according to Grange, which suggested that an extension would be coming. Accordingly, Webster opted to remain conservative rather than getting in a bidding war for Jaren Jackson Jr., who was “very much on the Raptors’ radar” before being traded from Memphis to Utah.
Grange describes the just-completed season as “an extended job interview” for Webster and his basketball operations team, nearly all of whom worked under Ujiri. The results were impressive, with a 46-36 record followed by a tight seven-game series against Cleveland in the first round. It marked the first winning season and playoff appearance for Rajakovic since he took over the team in 2023.
Atlantic Notes: Harden, Nash, Fernandez, Raptors’ Draft, Simmons
James Harden‘s free agency will likely come down to re-signing with the Sixers or signing up for a second stint with the Rockets, Shams Charania of The Athletic said on the Ryen Russillo podcast (hat tip to RealGM). Harden is expected to decline his $35.64MM option.
“I really think he’s torn with the prospect of staying in Philadelphia or moving on to Houston potentially and returning back to his home,” Charania said. “That’s where his roots are and his family there, of course. They (the Rockets) have got upwards of $60 million (in cap space). They can make even more money available. Close to $70 million in cap space.”
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- As of Monday, neither former Nets coach Steve Nash nor Kings associate head coach Jordi Fernandez had been invited for a second interview for the Raptors head coaching job, according to Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. However, the front office is taking its time on hiring Nick Nurse’s replacement, so they could eventually be called in for another interview. There’s no immediate need to fill the position, since assistant GM and VP of player personnel Dan Tolzman and his staff are handling draft preparations.
- Speaking of the Raptors’ draft, they hold the No. 13 pick in the first round. Eric Koreen of The Athletic discusses a handful of candidates they could consider at that spot, with Michigan’s Kobe Bufkin and Kansas’ Gradey Dick viewed as the best fits if they’re still available, since the shooting guard position is in flux.
- The Nets’ Ben Simmons posted a couple of workout images on social media, indicating that he has moved from rehab and recovery to getting back on the court, Nets Daily relays. Simmons didn’t play after Feb. 15 due to a nerve impingement in his back. He could be added to Australia’s roster for the FIBA World Cup if he’s healthy enough to play later this summer.
Raptors Promote Bobby Webster To GM
JUNE 28: The Raptors have officially announced Webster’s promotion to general manager (Twitter link). Dan Tolzman has also received a promotion and will be the team’s new assistant GM and VP of player personnel.
Ujiri, rumored to be a Knicks target, continues to oversee the Raptors’ basketball operations department.
JUNE 26: Raptors assistant general manager Bobby Webster has been considered the favorite to receive a promotion since GM Jeff Weltman‘s departure earlier this offseason, and it sounds like the club will make it official soon. According to Josh Lewenberg of TSN 1050 (Twitter link), the Raps are expected to announce Webster as their new GM at some point this week.
After working at the NBA offices for several seasons, Webster joined the Raptors’ front office in 2013 as the team’s VP of basketball management and strategy. Webster, who is well-versed in salary cap matters, ascended the ranks quickly in Toronto, earning a promotion to assistant GM last summer. Now, according to TSN’s full story on the move, Webster is set to become the NBA’s youngest general manager, just four years after joining the Raptors.
Masai Ujiri, Toronto’s president of basketball operations, retains control over the club’s basketball decisions, but the general manager position is still a crucial one. Weltman’s performance in the Raptors’ front office earned him the president of basketball operations job in Orlando, vacating the GM position in Toronto.
Webster and Ujiri will have plenty of big decisions to make this summer, with key Raptors like Kyle Lowry, Serge Ibaka, Patrick Patterson, and P.J. Tucker all eligible for unrestricted free agency.
Atlantic Notes: Saric, Kaun, Jason Smith, Carroll
The Sixers apparently wanted to bring Dario Saric over for 2015/16, and Saric shared that desire, reports David Pick, writing for Basketball Insiders. However, the No. 12 pick in the 2014 draft doesn’t have a way to escape his contract with Turkey’s Anadolu Efes until next year. Saric was circumspect when Pick asked him about the idea of coming stateside and the situation with his overseas team.
“It’s really hard for me to answer that,” Saric said. “I can’t comment. I think I’m ready to compete in the NBA, against the best players, but we built a great team in Efes and I want to help the club win a championship.”
In any case, it would seem that Saric is anxious to sign with the Sixers as soon as he can, rather than wait until 2017, when he wouldn’t be bound by the rookie scale, though that’s just my observation. Here’s more from around the Atlantic Division:
- The most recent talks the Nets have had with the Cavaliers were about Cleveland draft-and-stash center Sasha Kaun, not Joe Johnson, as Chris Mannix of SI.com reports as part of a larger piece. The Nets and Kaun, a 6’11” 30-year-old, have had mutual interest for some time, tweets Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com. The Spurs have also reportedly talked to the Cavs about him. The Johnson discussion is reportedly dormant.
- The Knicks offered their $2.814MM room exception to Jason Smith, but he turned it down for more money from the Magic, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. New York could have offered as much as $3,933,600 via Non-Bird rights, but agent Mark Bartelstein made it clear there are no hard feelings, as Berman relays. “The Knicks made a great attempt to try to keep him,’’ Bartelstein said.
- Soon-to-be Raptors signee DeMarre Carroll authored an homage to the Hawks, his former team, in The Players’ Tribune, giving credit to a handful of figures, especially former Hawks assistant Quin Snyder, who’s now head coach of the Jazz.
- New Raptors D-League one-to-one affiliate Raptors 905 has named Dan Tolzman as its GM and Jesse Mermuys its head coach and assistant GM, the team announced. Both were already employed within the Raptors organization.