Kawhi Leonard led the Toronto Raptors to one of the unbelievable championships in NBA historical past again in 2019 throughout his solely season with the franchise. Leonard would depart for the Los Angeles Clippers in free company weeks later, and ever since each events have did not recoup the identical degree of success they loved collectively.
The concept of Leonard returning to Toronto felt prefer it was by no means going to occur, however issues can change quick within the NBA. Six years after they teamed up on an unforgettable run to the Larry O’Brien Trophy, Kawhi and Raptors are collectively once more.
Toronto acquired Leonard from the Clippers in change for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, one choose swap, and two second-round picks, in response to Shams Charania. We’ll replace this submit when the precise particulars on the picks are introduced.
The Raptors consider they’ll compete to win the East once more with Leonard in tow. The Clippers are rebuilding. Let’s grade this commerce for each side.
Raptors grade for Kawhi Leonard deal
Toronto returned to the playoffs final yr after three years within the wilderness, and pushing an eventual convention finalist within the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven video games within the first-round. The Raptors largely did it with protection, driving a top-5 unit to 46 wins whereas the offense was league-average. If Toronto needed to enhance this yr, they needed to enhance the offense with out sacrificing the protection, they usually did precisely that by touchdown Leonard.
Kawhi instantly fixes a variety of Toronto’s greatest points if he can keep wholesome. He offers them half-court shot creation, three-point capturing, and one other ferocious wing defender who can roam off the ball as his youthful teammates tackle harder assignments. Leonard quietly had among the best years of his profession at 34 years previous final season, placing up a career-best 43.3 factors per 100 possessions whereas additionally rebounding the ball in addition to ever. He graded out because the fifth-best participant within the league final season by EPM, and completed even higher than that in a variety of different all-in-one superior metrics.
You don’t want a elaborate algorithm to inform you Kawhi is absolutely good at basketball when he’s on the ground. He’s an excellent environment friendly scorer from all three ranges who doesn’t flip the ball over, rebounds nicely, and may nonetheless be a terror defensively. It’s fairly wonderful that Toronto was in a position to land him with out actually giving up a lot worth.
Ingram had a pleasant yr final season, however he was completely not on a team-friendly contract with $82 million owed to him over the following two seasons. Dick has largely been a bust. That is all about Toronto giving up two future first-round picks and a choose swap. You’ll be able to argue the Raptors are mortgaging their future to chase a championship proper now with Kawhi, however he’s value it so long as he can keep on the ground. It’s wild that the Raptors gave up extra draft capital to get Kawhi in 2026 than they did in 2018.
The one danger right here for the Raptors comes with Kawhi’s looming contract extension. He’s 35, and clearly he has an extended historical past of not being wholesome earlier than this previous season. Judging this transfer in a vacuum, although, it’s a house run for Toronto. I don’t know why different attainable contenders didn’t get in on the bidding.
Clippers grade for Kawhi Leonard deal
It’s comprehensible that the Clippers didn’t wish to give Kawhi a contract extension, and that made buying and selling him a straightforward alternative. His worth was by no means going to get increased than it’s proper now after a terrific season. I’m simply undecided the Clippers obtained the perfect deal they might have.
The bidding for Kawhi appeared prefer it was a bit depressed as a result of he indicated he was solely keen to signal an extension with the Raptors or San Antonio Spurs. My response to that: who cares! Leonard is so good that different contenders ought to have been attempting to commerce for him. We’ve already seen him lead a championship run as a rental, and it would truly be a good factor for one more group that he received’t take a contract extension proper now if his physique breaks down once more. I feel Denver, Boston, Detroit, Philly, and extra ought to have gotten in on the bidding. The Raptors’ supply wasn’t that robust.
My guess is the Clippers flip Ingram both on the commerce deadline or subsequent summer time as an expiring contract. The 2 first-round picks are the true prize right here, and the Clippers did nicely to additionally get a future choose swap.
The Clippers’ future rests on the shoulders of No. 5 general choose Keaton Wagler, with Darius Garland as a sub-headliner, and now they’ve extra future belongings to proceed to construct round them. LA has a variety of work to do, however getting out of the Kawhi enterprise is a great transfer as a result of they couldn’t compete for a title with him. They did nicely on this commerce for an expiring contract.
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