Kawhi Leonard is back in the mix for the East’s top-player conversation, and that means Cade Cunningham’s grip on the crown is anything but secure.
Leonard’s move to the Raptors changes the shape of the conference, and it puts another heavyweight in the lane with Cunningham. Last season, the Detroit star was the East’s best player during the regular season, at least by the way All-NBA and MVP voting shook out. But next season figures to be a different fight entirely.
When Kawhi is healthy, he still looks like a nightmare assignment. He averaged 28 points per game last season while shooting 50% from the field and 39% from three.
That kind of scoring would be dangerous enough on its own, but Leonard did a lot of it without needing the ball spoon-fed to him. More than 60% of his shots were unassisted, a clear sign of just how much shot-making he can create on his own.
Detroit saw that firsthand in December, when Leonard torched the Pistons for a career-high 55 points. It was the kind of performance that reminded everyone that even elite young defenders still have another level to climb before they can consistently slow down a scorer like him.
Leonard also held up on the other end. Even with the Clippers constantly shifting around him, he stayed a strong defender. Their defensive rating without him on the floor was 3 points worse than when he played, and he kept producing turnovers at a high clip with nearly 2 steals per game.
Availability matters, and Leonard gave himself a solid platform last season by playing 65 games without any major injury ending his year. He’ll be 35 next season, but Toronto gives him a setup that could help lighten the load on defense. The Raptors have younger players who can take on the tougher matchups, which could help Leonard stay fresh if he keeps producing at the same level.
He’s not the only threat looming over Cunningham, either. Jalen Brunson is probably the current favorite in the East after his playoff run and championship success, while Cade’s own postseason showing was strong even if his team didn’t meet expectations. Jayson Tatum is set for a fully healthy season after appearing in just 16 games last year because of an Achilles injury, and Giannis Antetokounmpo will also be back on a new team after playing only 36 games last season.
So Cunningham has plenty of company in the race. Still, his case remains real because of how complete his game is. Even against a loaded field, none of those challengers can quite match Cade’s combination of scoring, playmaking and defense.
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