NBA Trade Grades: Kawhi Leonard is heading to the Toronto Raptors
It’s an end of an era in San Antonio. Kawhi Leonard is heading from the Spurs to the Toronto Raptors. Who won the deal for the superstar small forward?
Masai Ujiri has never been afraid to swing for the fences. The Toronto Raptors GM certainly has done that by making a move for San Antonio Spurs’ star Kawhi Leonard. Fortunately for Raptors fans, he was able to take advantage of Leonard’s unwillingness to remain with the Spurs.
San Antonio will actually send two quality wings north of the border. Leonard and Danny Green will move to Toronto as a part of this transaction. In return, the Raptors will send DeMar DeRozan, Jacob Poeltl and a protected 2019 first round pick to the Spurs.
It’s certainly a significant exchange of talent between two playoff teams. The important question is, how did each team do?
San Antonio Spurs
It must be said that R.C. Buford was dealing from a position of weakness here. The Spurs’ preference clearly would have been to repair their relationship with Leonard. Unfortunately, his entourage made it clear that wasn’t possible. San Antonio either had to trade Leonard or risk losing him this summer for nothing.
Given those constraints, the Spurs deserve credit for getting three potentially above-average pieces in return. DeRozan has serious flaws, but he’ll give the Spurs much-needed shot creation on the perimeter. His lack of 3-point shooting is a problem, but this team isn’t averse to taking mid-range jump shots. LaMarcus Aldridge already takes more than his share. DeRozan can’t replace Leonard, but he gives San Antonio a quality starter on the wing.
Poeltl may be a particularly attractive piece for Gregg Popovich. His best seasons in San Antonio have come with dominant centers like Tim Duncan and David Robinson anchoring his teams. Poeltl isn’t that sort of talent, but he could be the best pure 5 the Spurs have had since Duncan’s retirement. He should quickly provide the team a solid upgrade over an aging Pau Gasol.
The pick is protected 1-20 in the first season before converting to two second-rounders. That’s a decent asset, but nothing special. Spurs fans would have hoped to get a pick with more upside in parting with Leonard.
In the end, this was probably the best deal the Spurs could find. Leonard’s impending free agency and questionable physical condition depressed his value significantly. They were over a barrel and managed to acquire multiple above-average assets. They made the best of a really bad situation.
Grade: B-
Toronto Raptors
The Spurs had to make a deal for Leonard, but the Raptors participation was entirely voluntary. Ujiri and the Toronto front office clearly decided they needed to make a seismic move to compete for an Eastern Conference title. If Leonard is healthy, they’ve succeeded.
Of course, that’s a huge if. Leonard only managed to play nine games last season. His representatives claim he’s going to be ready to go in 2018-19, but no one can really trust that. The Raptors are making this move with an expectation that Leonard will get his mind and body right.
Assuming he does, Leonard is a massive upgrade over DeRozan. He may not put up the same counting stats, but Kawhi is a much more efficient player. His ability to stretch his game out from behind the arc and get to the rim will help unlock a number of different options for the Raptors offense.
His defense may be even more important. Derozan has never been anything above average on that end of the floor. If Leonard is right, he’s one of the top perimeter defenders in the game. Leonard is the ideal play to guard the likes of Jayson Tatum or Ben Simmons in the playoffs.
The inclusion of Green in the deal is also a huge coup for the Raptors. On his own he isn’t a dynamic offensive player, but he’s an excellent 3-point shooter. Putting him on the floor with Kyle Lowry and Leonard is going to give him a ton of open shots. Don’t be surprised if he turns into a key player down the stretch for Toronto.
Giving up the first round pick isn’t ideal, but the Raptors should be good enough this season to make that a pick in the high-20s. If Leonard works out, that shouldn’t be a massive concern for the franchise.
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The real downside to this deal from Toronto’s perspective is the chance this deal turns into a rental. Paul George staying in Oklahoma City proves it’s possible for a franchise to convince a star to stay put and snob Los Angeles, but it’s still a huge risk for Toronto. It must be said that he odds still favor Leonard playing for the Lakers in 2019/20. That puts a ton of pressure on the Raptors to make this deal work immediately on the court. If it doesn’t, they’ve given away a low-end All-Star for one season of a superstar.
The hardest thing to do in the NBA is to take your team from good to great. The Raptors understand that as painfully as any franchise in the league. This deal is loaded with risk for Toronto, but it increases their chances of making the Finals this season. You have to give Ujiri credit for going all-in.