TORONTO — Masai Ujiri was at it again Saturday.
The Toronto GM used an expletive when addressing fans talking about Washington forward Paul Pierce prior to the Raptors’ playoff opener. Last year, Ujiri was fined US$25,000 by the NBA for ending a speech by pairing an F-bomb with Brooklyn prior to the club’s post-season opening game against the Nets.
"People want me to say something about Paul Pierce but, we don’t give a (expletive) about ‘it’," Ujiri told a cheering crowd outside the Air Canada Centre in an area dubbed Jurassic Park.
Ujiri was referring to the Wizards veteran who earlier this week told ESPN he wasn’t worried about the Raptors because "I don’t feel they have the ‘it’ that makes you worried."
Ujiri, who was fined by the NBA last year "for using obscene language in a public setting," had joked earlier this week "I honestly don’t have enough money to respond to him (Pierce)."
NBA commissioner Adam Silver attended Saturday’s game and was present when Ujiri addressed the Raptors’ faithful outside the ACC. At halftime, Silver told TSN that Ujiri’s comments were inappropriate.
"Actually I had walked outside with Masai and I was over on the side and we had jokingly talked about what had happened last year before I went out and I know it wasn’t his intention," Silver said. "I’ve known Masai for 20 years, he’s a very emotional guy but it’s not appropriate in the league.
"I’ll leave it at that."
