The Toronto Raptors have agreed to a trade that brings Kawhi Leonard back to the team, seven years after he led them to their only NBA championship. The deal, which is pending final tinkering, reunites the franchise with the player who famously asked Masai Ujiri in 2018, "Why did you trade for me?" Ujiri replied, "Because I believe you're the best basketball player in the world."
A Gamble That Paid Off
That gamble in the summer of 2018 paid off spectacularly. Leonard played just one season in Toronto, but it was enough to deliver a championship. He won Finals MVP and then left for the Los Angeles Clippers, seeking to build a dynasty that never materialized. Now, at 35, Leonard returns to a team that desperately needs a closer.
The Raptors went seven games with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs without having a player who could take over in crunch time. As columnist Steve Simmons notes, "You don't win NBA championships without what the league describes as killers." Jalen Brunson just won a title with the New York Knicks, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did so the year before with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
What the Trade Means
The Raptors gave up significant draft capital to the Clippers but did not part with any players who will hurt them in the long run. They shed Brandon Ingram's contract, which had underperformed in the postseason, and will redirect that money to Leonard. The new lineup—featuring Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and either Jakob Poeltl or Collin Murray-Boyles—now looks comparable to the championship Knicks, the Miami Heat with Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Boston Celtics.
General manager Bobby Webster, who negotiated the original trade for Leonard alongside Ujiri, has cemented his legacy with this deal. The Raptors have been "mostly irrelevant outside Toronto since their championship run of 2019," according to Simmons, but now they are back in the headlines across the United States.
Leonard's Health and Fit
Leonard's body has always been a challenge, and it will continue to be so. The Raptors essentially invented load management during the 2019 season to keep him healthy. Now, they will need to manage his minutes again. But when healthy, Leonard remains one of the best players in the NBA. He was the best player in the 2019 playoffs, winning his second Finals MVP.
Simmons describes the homecoming as "the oddest homecoming to remember," one where the needs of the player and the team meet at a time when both need something new. "The unfinished business begins now," he writes.
Impact on Toronto Sports
The trade is a big win for the Raptors, for Toronto sports, and for owners Edward Rogers and Tony Staffieri. It brings back memories of Leonard's iconic Game 7 buzzer-beater against the Philadelphia 76ers, his dominant performance on one leg against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, and his leadership throughout the championship run. Now, Leonard is coming home to a place he never thought of as home, and this time, he's not leaving so fast.
