Kawhi Leonard on the Raptors is so ludicrous it just might happen twice
· Yahoo Sports
In the summer of 2018, the Toronto Raptors did the unthinkable and traded for superstar Kawhi Leonard. While he only stayed in the capital of the Ontario province for a single season, he led the Raptors to their first-ever NBA championship the following summer en route to his second career NBA Finals MVP award. Leonard proved to be exactly what a burgeoning, promising Toronto core needed to finally get over the top and reach the NBA's tallest summit.
In the summer of 2026, well, the Raptors might be in a position to lure Leonard to their city. Again. And if that happens, it wouldn't exactly be unthinkable to watch Toronto pull off the same script for ultimate glory. Again.
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Go figure.
According to Jake Fischer, Leonard's first preference at this time is to remain with the L.A. Clippers. That makes sense, considering the 34-year-old is a Southern California native and probably wants to start focusing on putting some long-term roots down. However, if Leonard doesn't stay with the Clippers, the Raptors sound like a genuine fallback option, with Leonard open to actually signing an extension on a second go-around with Toronto. It also sounds like the Raptors have remained consistent in their desire to reunite with Leonard, regardless of LaMelo Ball heading off to Minnesota on Thursday.
For a young squad with promising young players like All-Star and All-Defensive Team member Scottie Barnes and big man Collin Murray-Boyles, Leonard might be exactly what the doctor ordered to transform this version of Toronto into an Eastern powerhouse.
“League sources say that Toronto [the Raptors] has registered interest in trying to re-acquire the engine of the lone championship team in franchise history should [Kawhi] Leonard become truly available.” “And one source briefed on the subject insisted Thursday — after news of [LaMelo] Ball's impending trade to Minnesota broke — that the Raptors would have interest in trying to lure The Klaw back to Canada 'regardless of LaMelo.'"
Yeah, I can't lie. Leonard is coming off arguably the finest individual season of his career, with him playing at least 65 games, too. His scoring prowess and alpha mentality would fit in perfectly with a Raptors team that already does all the little things and dirty work but is missing that sort of necessary go-to star. Leonard's presence in Toronto would also help amplify Barnes as more of an offensive sidekick while the younger player catalyzes the Raptors' potentially elite defense on the other end.
Put another way: It's quite possible that Leonard, while older, really would turn the Raptors into a championship contender. Again.
Of course, for that to happen, Leonard's future has to fall through in Los Angeles. A lot of dominoes still have to fall. But if they do, watch out for the Raptors as they swoop in for the future Hall of Famer. If Leonard coming to Toronto could happen once, albeit on a shorter-term basis, it could definitely happen again.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Raptors could unthinkably reunite with Kawhi Leonard, per latest rumors