The Kawhi Leonard Experiment

By Conor Allen

Kawhi’s Trade to Toronto

         In 2019, the Toronto Raptors made a trade sending long time, franchise player DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and a protected 2019 first round pick that San Antonio used to draft Keldon Johnson in exchange for Leonard and Danny Green. (NBA.com) After requesting a trade out of San Antonio, the Raptors took a big swing for the one time finals MVP and NBA champion at the time. With the Raptors missing that key piece that they did not have to get over the hump of the Eastern Conference Finals. Doing so, it required the Raptors to part with fan favourite DeRozan. The trade had big implication as Kawhi led the Raptors to their first ever NBA Championship and won his second ring and Finals MVP.

Kawhi’s Legacy in Toronto

         Kawhi became an instant fan favourite in the city and across the country with his superstar level of play and prior accomplishments he brought to the table. An all-star and All-NBA player during his lone season here, he showed what he could do as a player. Kawhi’s skill alone was just the tip of the iceberg as his legacy would only grow throughout the season and the playoffs, even before the NBA Finals win. Arguably the greatest shot in Raptors history came when Kawhi took the fade away three against the 76ers in the second round of the playoffs where the whole crowded in the stadium and the country watched as the ball jumped on the rim four times before falling through the hoop causing everyone to go crazy. With everything Kawhi brought for the city, it was a hard time when he decided to leave the Raptors and join the Los Angeles Clippers. Due to what he did for the city and his stats with the Clippers, Toronto made the big swing to bring back Kawhi, all for the nostalgia, money and most important, the chance to properly compete for a ring.

The Trade

During the offseason, Toronto swung big, bringing Kawhi back from the Clippers in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, 2031 and 2033 unprotect first round picks and two second round picks in 2030 and 2033. (NBA.com) Breaking down the trade, the Raptors gave away Ingram who they acquired last season to improve the team, (NBA.com) but the experiment did not work as the Raptors expected it would. Dick, the 13th overall pick in the 2023 draft, was drafted out of Kansas to improve their 3-point shooting as he was considered one of the top shooters in the draft. (basketball-reference.com) Unfortunately, after his rookie year, Dick did not meet expectations and fell out of the rotation when Ja’Kobe Walters was drafted and took his spot. The rest of the pieces came as draft picks, four to be exact which included two first round picks multiple years in the future. The raptors clearly believe in their team and the direction they are headed and that those two picks will be in the later third of the first round. In exchange for everything, the Raptors received Toronto legend and arguable Hall of Famer Kawhi Leonard. Not long after the trade, Kawhi signed a contract extension to a multi-year extension, (NBA.com) this time not getting a chance to let him leave after the year is done.

Injury History

Kawhi has had a documented history of health concerns, mainly his knees. Since joining the Clippers, Leonard has played over 60 games just twice and only 331 out of the 560 games possible over the last 7 seasons. (basketball-reference.com) In total, Kawhi has missed 229 games including the full 2021-22 season when he tore his acl. Kawhi’s knees have always been an issue his entire career and has showed during his tenure with the Clippers. The trade itself was a questionable one as the Raptors gave up a lot to get him only to have him not play. After two regular season games in a Raptors jersey, the team announced that Kawhi would be sidelined for a couple games while he dealt with swelling in his knee. (ESPN) Not long after the announcement, the team then announced that Kawhi would be out for a longer time, approximately 3-4 weeks, hoping that the timeline stands.

Overall Value

While Kawhi still brings superstar talent at his age, averaging 21.2 points, including a career high 27.9 points last season. He also made 4 all-star appearances, four All-NBA teams, and two ALL-DEF teams. While 35, Kawhi has still shown that he can compete at a high level both offensively and defensively. It will remain to be seen if Kawhi can not only keep up his high level play but also if he can stay healthy enough to help the Raptors make a deep run in the playoffs. Was giving up Ingram, Dick and the 4 draft picks worth an old and injury prone Kawhi? Is Kawhi the missing piece that Toronto needs? These questions will be answered throughout the season but what do you think?