Bobby Webster says the Raptors didn’t drain the asset chest to bring Kawhi Leonard back, and he’s making it clear Toronto still has enough in reserve to chase another big swing if the right deal comes along.
Toronto’s president of basketball operations pointed to the franchise’s draft stockpile and its financial position as proof that the Leonard move doesn’t have to be the end of the conversation. The Raptors still control a first-round pick in each of the next four drafts, and the team is only about $1 million over the luxury-tax line.
“We gave up some assets, but I think we’ve been disciplined over the last few years to not do that,” Webster told reporters Thursday. “We feel like we do still have a number of assets if we need to go make additional deals.”
That kind of flexibility matters because Leonard’s arrival could put Toronto in position to push harder. Webster didn’t sound like someone treating the deal as a one-off splash.
“If we want to go for it, we still can go for it,” Webster said. “This is a bit of a swing, but I think there’s definitely more left on the bone.”
The Raptors sent the Clippers two first-round picks, two second-rounders and a first-round swap in the deal for Leonard earlier this month. Even with that cost, Webster said the organization believes it has kept enough ammunition to keep building.
The trade itself took a long road to get done. It was held up for more than two months while the NBA investigated the Clippers for salary-cap circumvention, and Webster said Toronto did its own homework before moving ahead. The delay, he said, came down to the team’s “risk tolerance.”
Toronto never went back to the table to try to change the terms after the league handed down sanctions on the Clippers.
“When you agree to the deal, you agree to the deal,” Webster said. “It’s a small industry that we all live in. You have your reputation, and I think that’s really important.”
Leonard later signed a two-year, $115 million extension, and Webster said the expectation from the start was that this was about more than a short stopover. In his telling, both sides saw a bigger picture.
“He wanted to stay here for a while,” Webster said, via Michael Grange of Sportsnet. “We want to have a window here.”
Webster also said Leonard’s contract shouldn’t stand in the way of Toronto keeping RJ Barrett, who is entering the final year of his deal. He pointed to ownership’s willingness to spend when the team is in a position to contend.
There was one more positive note from Webster: Jakob Poeltl is reporting in good shape after back trouble limited him to 46 games last season. Webster said the center looks motivated to stay healthy this year.
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