The Toronto Raptors are looking down the barrel of a decision they already made in 2018, one that brought them their first and only championship.
Yes. Kawhi Leonard could become available for the Toronto Raptors, yet again.
As per Jake Fischer, while Kawhi wants to stay in California with the Clippers, the only two teams with which the Klaw has any interest in signing with long term would be the San Antonio Spurs, or the Toronto Raptors. While Clippers’ management does not want to say goodbye to Leonard,
the 34 year old forward desires an extension, which if he did not get, would put him in the position of being an unrestricted free agent in the 2027-28 season, able to go where he pleases.
This means that the Clippers are either going to pony up, or seek a sign and trade with either of the Raptors or Spurs, barring either an excellent package emerging, or Kawhi’s willingness to go elsewhere.
Josh Lewenberg brought the situation down to Earth with his own reality check earlier today. By increasing his demand, Kawhi inherently gains more bargaining power with whatever organization wants to sign him to a contract extension.
Clearly, Leonard has shown himself to be relatively uninterested in staying in Toronto long-term, seeking long-term residence in his native California. While people and circumstances certainly change, the reality is that even if Kawhi is willing to come back to Toronto for more than a year, we’d not be his first choice to come to. While he left acrimoniously from San Antonio, Texas is a lot closer and more familiar to Leonard than Ontario, and the circumstances from which Kawhi left the Spurs (other than his nagging injury history) are very different.
However, while Kawhi would slot in well on either of the Raptors or the Spurs, the Raptors could potentially offer a more attractive package for the Clippers, who, while retooling their roster, appear to desire to stay competitive. With Darius Garland already leading Los Angeles at point guard, the Spurs’ glut of ball handlers would be harder to trade from. Even a player as high profile as Stephon Castle or De’Aaron Fox would be harder to pair with Garland than someone like Brandon Ingram or Immanuel Quickley.
Kawhi on the Raptors looked great 7 years ago, and he could look just as good on this squad. Kawhi could focus on scoring, with the Raps’ defensive lineup clearing the way for the veteran to fill in the gaps that they need. Of course, to be truly competitive, the Raptors would still need a high quality centre (or two), but a lot can happen in a single season.
So, would Kawhi coming back to Toronto be a good thing?
Under the right terms, yes.
The biggest issue with Kawhi isn’t how he felt about playing in Toronto. By all accounts, the man was a professional throughout his time here, which ended when he made a personal decision that he deluded no one into thinking he wouldn’t make. Even if Kawhi would rather be in California, if he signs for a reasonable term in Toront0, I see no reason why he wouldn’t quickly earn a warm welcome back to the 6ix.
Leonard’s injury history is a subject that volumes have been written about. That notwithstanding, he has clearly been able to put together capable seasons with the right amount of load management, and Toronto have proven themselves to be able to successfully play when down a starter, should the worst happen.
The former Raptors would slot into the position the same way he did in 2018: taking on the major scoring responsibilities and becoming the face of the franchise alongside an established star. How that would work with Scottie Barnes remains to be seen, but the All-Star has shown himself to be humble and capable of playing alongside big-time scorers while doing everything else on the basketball court.
The Aspiration Shaped Asterisk
The one thing to remember is that Kawhi in 2026 is coming to whatever team he is a part of with more baggage than he did leaving the Spurs in 2018. Leonard has been implicated in the potentially devastating Aspiration Scandal by reporter Pablo Torre, where Kawhi was accused of accepting money funnelled through the company Aspiration, to play for the Clippers.
The Clippers themselves deny the accusations, but the NBA’s investigation is still ongoing. ESPN has made it clear that without a smoking gun, it’s unlikely that severe punishment would be handed out. But, if the worst was to happen, and the investigation to conclude by finding clear evidence of wrongdoing, it wouldn’t just be the Clippers who would face the heat. Kawhi himself could have his contract voided and earn a lengthy suspension, which of course, would be less than ideal for the Raptors.
Baxter Holmes reported earlier this month that Commissioner Adam Silver has stated, and desires, for the investigation to come to a conclusion soon, but that there is not a definitive time that a decision would be meted out.
For the Raptors, this serves as a low risk, but potentially damning situation to get involved in. More than likely, this will be set of circumstances that can be more easily assessed closer to next summer when more time has passed to allow for these circumstances to resolve themselves. Only then will it be truly clear whether or not Kawhi is going to be worth acquiring for the franchise.
But still… championship dreams can be intoxicating, and the Raptors bringing Kawhi back and potentially winning with him is an especially potent version of that story. But, only time will tell if it truly makes sense for the Klaw to come back North.
