Fansided

NBA Free Agency 2019: 5 potential destinations for Kawhi Leonard

By Bryan Toporek

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 26: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles as he is guarded by Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks at Scotiabank Arena on October 26, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 26: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles as he is guarded by Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks at Scotiabank Arena on October 26, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, CANADA – MAY 25: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors holds up the trophy after defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 25, 2019 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA – MAY 25: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors holds up the trophy after defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 25, 2019 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2. Toronto Raptors

No matter what happens over the coming weeks, the Toronto Raptors should rest easy knowing they did all they could to retain Leonard this summer.

Swinging the trade that brought him and Danny Green to Toronto last summer was admirable on its own. General manager Masai Ujiri had no assurance that Leonard would re-sign with the Raptors in 2019, but he flipped a franchise cornerstone in DeMar DeRozan for a one-year opportunity to sell Leonard on the organization.

At the time of the trade last July, both Chris Haynes (then of ESPN.com) and Sean Deveney of Sporting News reported Leonard had no interest in playing for the Raptors. His uncle, Dennis Robertson, recently told Haynes that “When you are initially traded somewhere you didn’t ask to be, you don’t want to accept it. … It never had anything to do with the city of Toronto.”

The Raptors’ regular-season load management plan for Leonard kept him fresh and healthy heading into the playoffs, where he carried them to their first-ever Finals berth. He’s been in Toronto for less than one year, and beat writers are already asking whether he’s the best player in franchise history.

In January, ESPN.com’s Tim Bontemps reported the Raptors were “optimistic about their chances” of retaining Leonard, both for on- and off-court reasons. They have a strong combination of veteran stalwarts (Kyle Lowry, Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka and Danny Green) and promising young players (Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Fred VanVleet), a passionate fanbase and a general manager in Ujiri who won’t shy away from bold gambles.

The Raptors can’t change Toronto’s weather, which is a clear advantage for Los Angeles. But they’ve otherwise done everything in their power to prove they’re a championship-caliber organization, and a run to the NBA Finals is one hell of a recruiting pitch.

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