The Toronto Raptors pushed their chips in on Kawhi Leonard, and the payoff could be immediate. Leonard brings proven playoff chops and the kind of two-way impact that can change how a team looks every night he steps on the floor.
But Toronto didn’t get him cheaply, and that’s where the unease starts.
To land Leonard, the Raptors sent out Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and two future unprotected first-round picks. That is a hefty price for any player, and it gets even riskier when the return is an injury prone Leonard. Toronto is still building around Scottie Barnes, so giving up that much future flexibility is no small thing.
At the same time, the move makes sense if you view it through the lens of the present. Leonard’s arrival should make life easier for everyone else on the roster. Barnes won’t have to shoulder quite as much of the burden on both ends, and RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley won’t be asked to carry the offense as often when Barnes draws the tougher defensive assignments.
Leonard also changes the way opponents will game-plan for Toronto. An established star of his caliber forces defenses to react, and that should open cleaner looks and more manageable matchups for the rest of the group. For a Raptors team that believes it is close to becoming an Eastern Conference contender, that kind of swing is exactly why teams make blockbuster deals.
Still, the clock is ticking. Leonard’s age means Toronto’s window with him is short, and if the Raptors can turn this into a real contender over the next 2-3 years, the draft picks will barely matter.
If not, the danger is obvious.
Should Toronto stay good without getting over the top, those unprotected first-rounders could become painful assets to have given away. The picks in question are in 2031 and 2033, which is long past the Leonard era. Nobody can really say what this roster will look like then, and that’s why it is too early to call the trade a mistake.
But it is absolutely a gamble.
In Other News...
RJ Barrett Opens Up About Watching The Knicks Win Without Him
RJ Barretts first season in Toronto gave Raptors fans plenty to track, and now hes adding a little more perspective to the conversation after watching his old Knicks teammates celebrate a championship run without him. Barrett said his feelings were complicated at first, the kind of reaction that comes naturally when a player sees a former team reach the top after moving on from him. Even so, he made it clear the bitterness did not last, and that he was ultimately happy for the guys he once shared the floor with in New York.
For Toronto, the more relevant part of Barretts comments may be the way he turned the focus back to what comes next. He had an encouraging message for Raptors fans about the season ahead, pointing to the teams added talent and the need for the building to stay behind them. Barrett has already shown he can be a useful piece in Torontos plans, and his outlook suggested there is a belief inside the locker room that better basketball is ahead if the group settles in and the support follows. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Fans Just Got A Reminder About One Recent Roster Cut
The Raptors have already made a quick decision on one of their newer backcourt pieces, converting Jaden Bradley from a two-way deal into a standard contract after taking him 50th overall in the draft. It is another sign that Toronto wants to see what it has in the rookie guard, who arrived with some buzz after a productive senior season at Arizona and has already moved from fringe depth to a more secure spot on the roster.
Now the opening Bradley leaves behind is expected to be filled by Malachi Smith, a guard Brooklyn recently waived before Toronto steps in with a two-way contract. For the Raptors, it is a small but meaningful bit of roster churn, the kind that often says as much about how a team is sorting through its developmental pipeline as any headline move does. [Read more 🡒]
RJ Barrett Could Be Headed For A Tough Raptors Crossroads
RJ Barretts place in Toronto has quickly become one of the more interesting front-burner issues around the Raptors as the team continues navigating a tight financial picture. With his contract set to expire after the upcoming season, Barrett has emerged in trade talk, and the appeal is obvious from the Raptors side: he is still young enough to matter, productive enough to draw interest, and on a deal that could make him a valuable chip if the front office decides to keep flexibility in mind.
At the same time, Barrett has already given Toronto one of its more memorable recent playoff moments, which makes the situation feel more complicated than a simple salary decision. The Raptors know what he can look like when the stage gets bigger, but the next step is less clear, especially with the possibility that his time in Toronto could reach a crossroads sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]