Since winning the title, the New York Knicks have watched other teams around the conference make big moves that they hope will result in them being the last team standing next June. The first team that comes to mind is the Sixers, but before Philadelphia traded for Jaylen Brown and signed LeBron James, Toronto acquired Kawhi Leonard. Or at least, it tried to.
The Raptors-Clippers trade is on pause until the investigation into the alleged Aspiration cap circumvention scandal concludes, as Toronto rightfully doesn't want to take on any punishment for something it had nothing to do with.
If the Raptors have it their way, Kawhi will officially be part of the team in time for training camp, which, as Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported on Monday, is something that Leonard still believes will happen (subscription required).
And Leonard, sources say, strongly believes that the trade will ultimately go through, enabling him to rejoin the Raptors in time for training camp.
Of course, it doesn't matter what Kawhi believes, but the Clippers (who have maintained their innocence) and the Raptors are on the same page. If it all goes the way they think, he'll soon be playing his second stint in Toronto, giving New York another threat to think about in the Atlantic Division.
Kawhi will make the Raptors better, but will it be enough?
Toronto's thought process behind agreeing to trade Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks, a first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks actually makes sense, even for a player who just turned 35. The Raptors didn't think they could pass up an opportunity like that, and with Kawhi, their odds of making it out of the East are significantly better.
He did average a career-high 27.9 points last season, shooting a career-best 50.5% from the field in 32.1 minutes per game across 65 games. On the defensive end, Leonard averaged 1.9 steals per game, the most since his San Antonio days.
The Raptors don't have stars lining up waiting to go to Toronto. Remember, Kawhi wasn't in favor of the trade in 2018, and even after winning a title, he chose to leave for the Clippers in free agency.
Seven years later, he wanted to return to Toronto, and the organization wanted to make that happen.
The biggest concern is, of course, Leonard's health. As mentioned, he played 65 games this past season, but before that, he played 37. During the six seasons he suited up for the Clippers, he hit the 60-game mark only twice, coming up short in his first full season (2019-20) when he played 57 games.
Naturally, the older any player gets, the more concerning their injury history becomes, and that's especially true for Kawhi. If the trade goes through and the Raptors extend him (as planned), Toronto will be under a lot of pressure to win again with him.
Knicks are still the best team in the East (and the league)
New York is still the favorite to make it out of the East, and, until proven otherwise, the champions. It's not easy to win a title, much less repeat, but the Knicks are in a great position to do that, even with the loss of Mitchell Robinson in free agency. Their starting five remains intact, and they still have the depth behind them to combat an 82-game season and another deep playoff run.
They don't have to worry about how new players will fit together (hello, Philadelphia), nor do they have to worry about whether Leonard's legs will hold up.
Every team that makes a title run has luck on its side, but there are some contenders out there who will require more than others for their dream to come true. The Raptors will fall into that category. As thrilling as it will be for fans to see Kawhi represent their favorite team again, they'll also probably be holding their breath every time he takes the floor.
If all goes to plan, Leonard will make Toronto a true threat again on both ends of the floor, but just like with all of the Philly chatter, New York still reigns supreme. Knowing the Knicks, they will welcome the new challenges the East presents with open arms, including the Raptors' resurgence with Kawhi, if it actually happens.
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