Babcock lands Raptors’ GM job after all

TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors hired Rob Babcock on Monday to be the team’s general manager, a month after they declined to give him the job.

The Raptors have been looking for a general manager since firing Glen Grunwald on April 1. He was replaced on an interim basis by Jack McCloskey, who favored Babcock from the start.

Babcock interviewed twice for the job several weeks ago, but the Raptors didn’t reach a decision until last Friday.

“Rob was on our list from Day 1, and then we brought him in and he quickly went to the top of that list,” team president Richard Peddie said. “I went back to Rob and said ‘Rob, this is such a critical hire for us. I want to make sure you are the right guy.’.”

Babcock spent the last two seasons as the top assistant to Minnesota Timberwolves’ general manager Kevin McHale.