Eight years after Kawhi Leonard first joined the Toronto Raptors for one thrilling title run and then swiftly departed, could a reunion be in the works?
The Raptors have "registered interest" in reuniting with the seven-time all-star, and Leonard would be "open to signing an extension" if he were dealt to Toronto from the Los Angeles Clippers, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported on Thursday.
Leonard, 35, is in the final year of his current contract, which pays him $50.3 million before he can hit unrestricted free agency.
He is coming off one of his most productive — and healthiest — seasons, averaging a career-best 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals on 50.5/38.7/89.2 per cent shooting splits in 65 appearances. He finished tied for seventh in MVP voting and earned the seventh all-NBA selection (second-team) of his career.
Leonard's preference is to remain with his hometown Clippers, Fischer added.
The two-time Defensive Player of the Year was famously traded by the San Antonio Spurs to the Raptors in 2018 and then helped bring Toronto its first-ever NBA championship while winning his second Finals MVP award. Leonard averaged 30.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.7 steals in 24 playoff games that season.
He then opted to return home and join forces with Paul George on the Clippers instead of running it back with the Raptors. Yet despite making six playoff appearances in the eight seasons since, the Clippers have just one conference finals run to show for it and appear ready for a new direction after a 42-40 season.
Los Angeles traded away veterans James Harden and Ivica Zubac at the February trade deadline, bringing in much younger players in Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin along with the No. 5 pick, which was used on 19-year-old Keaton Wagler.
The Raptors, meanwhile, made a return to competitive relevance last season thanks to a 46-36 record. It was Toronto's first playoff appearance since 2022, but the team ultimately fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a seven-game first-round series.
While it's unclear what price the Raptors will be willing to pay to make a trade for Leonard — the team has all its own first and second round picks until 2032 and a handful of prospects and expiring salaries — GM Bobby Webster has acknowledged interest in exploring the market.
"Having a lot of assets, having our first-round picks, having players under rookie-scale contracts, that allowed us to build and be the youngest team in the playoffs. But at a certain point, we want to be opportunistic in the trade market, so we'll look to do that in the summer and next trade deadline," Webster told reporters after Round 1 of the NBA Draft on Tuesday.
The Raptors were reportedly interested in LaMelo Ball before the all-star guard was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and according to Sportsnet's Michael Grange, Toronto has shown interest in Bucks centre Myles Turner, should Milwaukee execute a fire-sale following the departure of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Meanwhile, the Raptors may not be the only team interested in chasing Leonard, as ESPN's Brian Windhorst pegged the Detroit Pistons as a team to keep in mind after clearing cap space by trading Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies.
