Photo Credit: Ron Turenne/Getty Images

After a long tumultuous season, Kyle Lowry and Masai Ujiri didn’t give much of a commitment either way on their future with the Toronto Raptors during their end-of-season interviews last week. Lowry and Ujiri are both free agents this summer, and regardless of what they decide to do, Fred VanVleet says they have already cemented themselves as two of the most important figures in the history of Toronto sports.

"Kyle Lowry is obviously the greatest Raptor of all time and number two might be Masai." – Fred VanVleet

— 𝐀𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞 (@AaronBenRose) May 16, 2021

Protect Ujiri at all costs

A clear takeaway from each of the Raptors’ exit interviews is that Ujiri is the glue that keeps this group together, and without him, the future looks uncertain, especially for someone like Lowry.

Lowry on Masai Ujiri: "I told him part of the reason I'm still here is because of him. So his decision will factor into (my decision). I want him to get what he deserves. He's the best out there… He will get his payday and it's well deserved and well earned."

— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) May 18, 2021

Lowry, VanVleet, and Raptors Head Coach Nick Nurse didn’t hesitate to give praise to Ujiri for his winning attitude and ability to work well with others. Not only do we as fans want to see Ujiri back with the team for years to come, but the players and coaches are hoping he will be resigned this summer as well.

“I think we make a really good team, and I hope that team stays intact and I enjoy working for him every day” – Nick Nurse on Raptors free agent president Masai Ujiri.

— Michael Grange (@michaelgrange) May 17, 2021

When asked about all the praise he got from his players and coaching staff, Ujiri got very emotional and was almost speechless saying, “I’d go to battle every day with those guys.”

At the end of the season, Kyle, Fred and Nick discussed the ways Masai Ujiri has changed the Raptors franchise and impacted their lives. pic.twitter.com/yzVg5DcVtY

— Yahoo Sports Canada (@YahooCASports) May 25, 2021

Winning championships remains the priority

Ujiri and Lowry echoed a common theme in their final interviews of the season: their desire to continue to compete for a championship. This comes as no surprise considering they are both as competitive as anyone you will find around the NBA.

Some fans might still be holding on to the memory of winning the NBA championship in 2019, but Ujiri said “Everybody has forgotten what has happened here two years ago. Yes, we won. Nobody cares anymore. We want to win another one.”

Ujiri on his priorities: "Everybody says, like, blank check, blank check, but I'm not as much focused on blank check…We have to move forward as a franchise to compete with the best in the NBA. This is all about winning a championship again."

— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) May 19, 2021

It’s encouraging to hear that Ujiri is passionate about winning more championships, above all in Toronto. However for Lowry, championships are the main priority but he didn’t necessarily say Toronto would provide him with the best opportunity to do that.

Lowry: "I want more championships. That's always been the goal. Money comes with that but championships are why I play."

— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) May 18, 2021

Lowry also mentioned that he still has a lot left in the tank, and if Toronto isn’t able to build a playoff or championship contending team this summer, it’s understandable that he may want to chase a championship elsewhere.

The NBA free agency period won’t open until August 2nd, but expect lots of speculation to swirl around the future of Masai Ujiri and Kyle Lowry between now and then. It may be a hard reality to accept, but it’s very possible we may be saying farewell to at least one of the two of the most important figures in the history of the franchise.