Heading into the final year of his contract after a trade to the Toronto Raptors, 2014 Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard has reportedly purchased a home in the Canadian city.
With just one season remaining on the five-year, $94.3 million deal he signed in the summer of 2016 with the Spurs, the clock has officially started on Kawhi Leonard’s fateful stint with the Toronto Raptors.
The first bit of good news arrived shortly after the trade between Toronto and San Antonio, when Leonard reported to the Raptors’ facility, met with general manager Bobby Webster and president Masai Ujiri, and passed his physical. The second bit of good news is here — Leonard has purchased, rather than rented, a home in Toronto, according to Toronto Sports Network analyst Peter Yannopoulos.
Many NBA players simply rent an apartment in the city where they play during the season and maintain a home where their family or loved ones reside. So for Leonard to actually buy a house in Toronto just a month into his time with the team could be a sign of comfort with his new squad.
Or, it could mean absolutely nothing. Maybe it’s just an investment, maybe Leonard just didn’t want to deal with renting. Maybe he found a great deal. It’s impossible to know what this has to do with Leonard’s mindset heading into Year One with the Raptors, or how it will ultimately affect his decision in 2019 free agency. But it’s interesting nevertheless.
Much has been made of how geography and contentment played a role in the deterioration of Leonard’s relationship with Gregg Popovich, R.C. Buford and the Spurs. He reportedly would prefer to play in Los Angeles, near where he grew up, and was not in contact with Toronto ahead of the trade. It is still very much up in the air how happy Leonard will be to play for the Raptors this year, despite the way acquiring him launched them into the top of Eastern Conference power structure.
It’s just a house, but Leonard’s decision to buy in Toronto is one of the only snippets of evidence we’ve gotten from the quiet superstar about where his heart is heading into perhaps the most important year of his career.