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Seven years after Kawhi Leonard delivered the first championship in franchise history, Toronto has brought him back, betting once again that the risk is worth the reward.<\/p>\n
The Raptors surrendered significant assets to make the move, reportedly sending Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, a first-round swap and two second-round selections to the Clippers.<\/p>\n
The cost is substantial, but Toronto has already seen this story play out once before.<\/p>\n
In 2018, the Raptors traded DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and a first-round pick to acquire Leonard despite concerns surrounding his health. The move resulted in an NBA championship and one of the greatest playoff runs in league history.<\/p>\n
Leonard averaged 31 points, nine rebounds and four assists during the 2019 postseason while shooting 49\/38\/88 splits. He eliminated Philadelphia with his iconic Game Seven buzzer-beater before leading Toronto past Milwaukee and Golden State to capture his second Finals MVP award.<\/p>\n
The biggest concern this time is not Leonard\u2019s talent. It is his health.<\/p>\n
Leonard has missed approximately 40 percent of regular-season games and thirty percent of playoff games during his seven seasons with the Clippers. He missed the entire 2021-22 season after suffering a torn ACL and has continued to deal with knee inflammation in recent years.<\/p>\n
Despite those concerns, the 34-year-old enjoyed one of the strongest seasons of his career in 2025-26. Leonard averaged 28 points, six rebounds and four assists while shooting 51\/39\/89 splits across 65 games. He also received MVP and All-NBA First Team consideration.<\/p>\n
There is also ongoing scrutiny surrounding Leonard and the Clippers. A Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation by Pablo Torre alleged that Leonard received additional compensation through a no-show job arrangement that earned him another $50 million.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, NBA insider Chris Haynes reported<\/a> that Leonard is already discussing a two-year extension with Toronto.<\/p>\n The Raptors enter next season with Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Collin Murray-Boyles surrounding Leonard in what appears to be a wide-open Eastern Conference.<\/p>\n READ MORE: 3x Lakers Champion Says Lakers Must Move on From LeBron James<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n