The Kawhi Leonard era promised a lot more for the Los Angeles Clippers. Over the years, after first coming in alongside Paul George in the league-altering 2019 offseason, the roster has shared many different looks. However, their centerpiece’s time might be coming to an end.
After not making it out of the first round in five-straight seasons, he might be hunting for new pastures, and teams are lining up for a trade. One analyst believes the best landing spot in that scenario could be the Toronto Raptors.
Toronto Raptors Could Be Perfect for Kawhi Leonard
When he first came to the franchise, there were a ton of expectations about the tandem potentially ushering in a new era for the Clippers. However, in more than half a decade, the farthest they made it was one Conference Finals appearance.
This past year, though, might have been the final nail in the coffin. After a disastrous start to the season, the team tried to recover and make a late-season playoff push. Still, Leonard put together one of his best seasons yet.
Averaging a career-high 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, he was a key force in them making it to the Play-In game. But they couldn’t crack the postseason, which has further increased the divide between the player and the team.
Kevin O’Connor explained how the situation could develop. “I could definitely see Toronto trading for Kawhi Leonard. Brandon Ingram plus whatever it takes to go get Kawhi Leonard again with one year left on his deal, try to do it again?”
Last year, the Raptors were the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, taking the Cleveland Cavaliers to the limit in the first round. However, their current roster has some obvious holes, most notably the lack of a reliable scorer, especially in the playoffs, outside of Scottie Barnes.
“Repeat history? I could see that. I could definitely see Toronto trying to trade for Kawhi,” O’Connor concluded. It remains to be seen if Toronto takes the plunge on a second stint of Leonard. But the memories from their first time could sway the discussion further.
After a fractured ending with the San Antonio Spurs, Leonard came in as a one-year rental for the Raptors in exchange for DeMar DeRozan. He immediately became the best player on the team and led them to the franchise’s first championship.
However, he did not stick around beyond that lone year, which could complicate matters. On paper, the move makes sense for the Raptors, who are brimming with talent in other areas to make up for any deficiencies Leonard might have at 34.
