Raptors president Masai Ujiri says club still working to get better after missing playoffs

Masai Ujiri believes there are three ways to build a successful NBA team: the draft, via trade or in free agency.

The Raptors president said at his season-ending news conference on Wednesday that his front office has done well to turn the team's fortunes around and Toronto is poised return to the post-season.

Ujiri acknowledged it was a fine line to walk trying to improve the Raptors this season without damaging their position in this summer's NBA draft.

"We have to play the game and try to play the game the best we can," said Ujiri in the media centre of Toronto's OVO Athletic Centre. "And also take care of our business and trying to build our team depending on the markets that you are or the way you can acquire players.

"We tried to attack to the odds in the lottery and see what we can do."

Toronto (30-52) finished seven games out of the Eastern Conference's final play-in spot. That gives the Raptors the seventh-worst record in the NBA, with a 31.9 per cent chance of getting a top-four pick and a 7.5 per cent shot at the first-overall selection at the NBA Draft Lottery on May 12.

Duke Blue Devils guard Cooper Flagg is the consensus top pick in the draft to be held on June 25, but Ujiri said it's a particularly promising group of players to choose from.

"Wherever we fall, we're going to go for the best talent available," said Ujiri. "I know it's the answer everybody gives or maybe we give, but it's a unique draft, and we feel that we will have a talented player available, and we'll try to get one that fits our ball club."

The Raptors entered the 2024 draft with just one pick but, through trades and a free agent signing, wound up with five rookies: Ja'Kobe Walter (19th overall), Jonathan Mogbo (31st), Jamal Shead (45th),