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Kawhi Leonard Still Expected to Sign with Clippers in 2019

Daniel Coyle

by Daniel Coyle in NBA Basketball

Updated Apr 15, 2020 · 7:28 AM PDT

Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs
Will Kawhi Leonard last a full season in Toronto? Photo by Stephen Lew/Icon Sportswire
  • A shoulder injury limited Kawhi Leonard to just nine appearances with the San Antonio Spurs last season
  • The two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year was dealt to the Raptors in an offseason deal for DeMar DeRozan
  • Leonard’s stated desire to play in his hometown of Los Angeles boosts the odds of the Clippers and Lakers

Kawhi Leonard looks to be warming up to the idea of playing for the Toronto Raptors this season.

Since breaking the ice with Toronto media at a late-September press conference by introducing himself as “a fun guy”, Leonard has hit the court running in preseason action with his new club. The two-time All-Star has averaged 13.3 points per game over three starts in limited minutes, capped by an 11 point, seven assist, and seven rebound performance in front of an appreciative crowd of 20,526 at Montreal’s Bell Centre.

Odds on which Team Will Sign Kawhi Leonard in 2019

Team Odds
Los Angeles Clippers +200
Toronto Raptors +400
Los Angeles Lakers +500
Memphis Grizzlies +1000
Miami Heat +1000
New York Knicks +1000
Minnesota Timberwolves +1500
Golden State Warriors +1500
Field (Any Other Team) +200

Raptors Lag on Odds to Re-Sign Kawhi

But while Leonard looks poised to play a huge role in Toronto’s bid to win its first-ever NBA championship, the Raptors continue to lag on the odds to re-sign the enigmatic superstar, pegged at +400.

Leonard arrived in Toronto this summer after seeing a successful seven-year tenure with the San Antonio Spurs end under frosty circumstances. Twice proclaimed as the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year, Leonard appeared in just nine games last season due to a shoulder injury.

The 27-year-old subsequently asked for his trade, with his preferred destination being his hometown of Los Angeles, but instead was shipped to Toronto in a deal that sent Raptors fan-favorite DeMar DeRozan to the Alamo City.

While concerns about whether he would report to Toronto or get dealt by the Raptors this season have been put to rest, Leonard remains poised to become a free agent when his contract expires at the end of this season, positioning him to make the move to the Los Angeles Clippers, who sit perched as +200 favorites to ink Leonard to a deal for next season.

Clippers Hit Reset Button after Missing Playoffs

The Clippers made changes in the offseason after missing the NBA playoffs for the first time in seven years, most notably parting ways with veteran DeAndre Jordan. While the Clippers return to action amid tempered expectations, pegged at a distant +20000 on the NBA championship odds, they are projected to have more than $47 million in available cap space and two max contract slots available next summer, providing them with ample room to come to terms with Leonard.

Lakers Expected to Join Kawhi Sweepstakes

The Clippers are not the only hometown squad that could dive into the Kawhi sweepstakes next summer. The new-look Los Angeles Lakers are close on the Raptors’ heels, sporting +500 odds of signing Leonard next summer.

Lakers fans are hoping a dismal run of five losing campaigns will end this season with the arrival of LeBron James. Following a second stint in Cleveland, James heads west to join a youthful Lakers squad that includes promising youngsters like Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball.

But while the addition of Leonard could return the Lakers to the elite ranks of the NBA, it is unclear if he would be prepared to play in the shadow of King James, even on a hometown squad.

A Raptors Championship Could Change Everything

That could bode well for the Raptors in their efforts to lock Leonard up to a long-term deal at the end of this season.

Danny Green, whom the Raptors also acquired in the Kawhi trade, believes that Leonard will find it hard to leave Toronto once he spends some time in the city. Green was candid when asked about Leonard’s future prior to the start of training camp, stating that he believes that “the city of Toronto is gonna be hard to turn down after being there”.

The allure of the Canadian metropolis alone may be hard to resist. But the Raptors’ hopes of keeping the 2014 NBA Finals MVP in the North may depend on the team’s ability to win this year’s NBA championship as a +1500 wager, and provide Kawhi with a level of stardom and marketability that would be hard to match anywhere else in the NBA.

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