CHICAGO—The deadline to determine the future of Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo is quickly arriving.

According to NBA sources, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment — and new chief executive officer Tim Leiweke — has to decide by Monday on whether to pick up Colangelo’s option year for 2013-14.

That will end a drawn-out saga of Colangelo’s future that’s been in question since Leiweke took over as the majordomo at Maple Leaf Sports last month.

While not officially on the job yet, Leiweke has been given all responsibility to determine Colangelo’s fate. The two men have met and discussed plans for the Raptors future but neither has spoken publicly about their feelings.

And Leiweke is not conducting the search for a possible replacement on his own; multiple NBA sources say MLSE has hired a head-hunting firm to whittle down a list of possible replacements.

Two names being tossed around NBA circles at the league’s annual draft combine are Kevin Pritchard, currently the general manager of the Indiana Pacers and Troy Weaver, the vice-president and assistant general manager of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

There may be others on any short list compiled by the unnamed search firm but neither of those are seen as the slam-dunk, high-profile executives many were expecting to emerge from Leiweke’s search.

Pritchard has been the general manager in Indiana since 2012, joining the Pacers from a similar position with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Weaver is in his third season as the Thunder general manager; he has been with the organization since 2008 after moving to Oklahoma City from the Utah Jazz.

One theory being bandied about at the combine is that Leiweke is just doing basic business due diligence and could decide the management team already in place — Colangelo and vice-president Ed Stefanski — deserves at least another year on the job.

Also at stake in any decision could be the fate of head coach Dwane Casey and his entire staff.

Casey has one year left on his deal — as does Stefanski in the front office — but none of the assistant coaches have deals that are guaranteed past June 1.

A new general manager — if Leiweke decides Colangelo must go — could very well insist on putting his own staff in place.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

RELATED:

Colangelo defiant at season-ending press conference

Read more about: