Kawhi Leonard led the Toronto Raptors to its first and only NBA championship in 2019. And, if the rumours are true, the team could be running it back any day now.
According to top NBA insider Shams Charania, Leonard’s current team, the Los Angeles Clippers, are in serious talks with the Raptors working towards a deal that could return Leonard to Toronto for the coming season.
Charania said that Toronto is the only team outside of the Clippers for which Leonard is open to signing a long-term deal.
“At the crux of this is the Clippers are moving in a younger direction,” Charania explained, on ESPN. “Kawhi has one year left on his deal at about $50 million and my understanding is Toronto is the only place he would commit to on a long-term extension if traded outside of Los Angeles. This gives him a ton of leverage in the marketplace.”
This is huge.
We all remember “The Shot,” a moment that defined the championship-winning Toronto Raptors. We know how dominant he was during that playoff run in 2019 on his way to winning the NBA Finals MVP.
The last time Leonard signed with Toronto, he was clear that it was for one year, and one year only. Despite all attempts by the team, and the city, to convince him to stay, Leonard relocated to Los Angeles and has not come close to winning another championship since leaving.
From what has been reported so far, there are two key Raptors that have been mentioned as potential pieces in the deal in addition to draft assets. One, is Brandon Ingram, who the Raptors would like to be the key part of the deal. The second is RJ Barrett, who the Clippers are more interested in as the focal point, likely because he fits in with the team’s youth movement.
Either way, this is a no-brainer move for the Raptors that could make them at least an Eastern Conference contender in the coming season. And, potentially, a championship contender pending another possible move.
Leonard gives the Raptors a bona fide superstar, one of the best two-way players to ever play the game. And, the team would be in a good bargaining position given the Raptors are his team of choice outside of Los Angeles.
While Ingram is a gifted scorer, his all-around game is not on Leonard’s level, and neither is Barrett’s. And it’s not close.
Of course, Leonard is now 35, and in the twilight of an incredible career and has been injury prone. But, the same could be said for Ingram. The last two seasons, Leonard has been more consistent and at times during the 2025-26 season he was playing the best basketball in the entire league.
Combining Leonard with All-NBA defender and team heart Scottie Barnes as well as up-and-coming talent Colin Murray-Boyles, is a defensive nightmare scenario for opposing teams.
