The main news of the first day of free agency had nothing to do with free agency itself, but with the Raptors trading for Kawhi Leonard again. On paper, it looks like a good move for Toronto as it tries to close the gap with the champion New York Knicks (who will be on the quest to repeat), but it's not 2018 anymore.
Yes, Kawhi is coming off a season in which he averaged a career-high 27.9 points per game. Yes, he played 65 games, the second time in three seasons that he hit that mark, which is impressive for him.
The reality is, though, that, unfortunately, injury issues are still very much a concern. And Kawhi just turned 35, but the Raptors clearly aren't concerned about that, considering what all they sent the Clippers.
Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors has been agreed to, sources tell ESPN. The Clippers will receive unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, 2030 and 2033 second-round picks and a 2027 first-round swap. https://t.co/q6uJuC8LxX
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2026
That's not all. The 2026-27 season is the last on Leonard's current contract, so, as reported, the Raptors intend to sign him to a two-year extension that will keep him in Toronto through the 2028-29 season. Exactly what that deal will look like is still unknown.
Raptors' Kawhi trade may not work out this time around
It's not common for stars to willingly want to go to Toronto. The Raptors weren't Kawhi's preferred destination when they traded for him in 2018, but they took a gamble that massively paid off, though even winning a title wasn't enough to keep him around.
With news that Toronto was the only team that Leonard wanted to go to, you can see why the Raptors made that happen. They weren't a contender with the roster that they had, and in theory, adding Kawhi boosts their chances of going toe-to-toe with the Knicks, the new gold standard in the East. That had to be something the front office was thinking about.
Also, Toronto desperately needed the offensive production from a player like Kawhi, who is still capable of taking over games. It helps, too, that he's still a solid defender, even though he can't move like he once did.
If the Raptors can get that version of Kawhi for at least 65 games next season, then Toronto could be the threat it seems to think it will be after investing so much in him at this stage in his career. The thing is, banking on an aging star with a concerning injury history rarely works out as intended.
Even if it does, the Knicks are still the Knicks. In 2018, that would've sounded more like a threat, but that's not the case anymore. There is no team in the league that New York can't take down, including Toronto.
The Raptors might be celebrating a homecoming with Kawhi now, but it may not take all that long for them to wish they could go back in time and undo it.
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