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Does Kawhi Leonard’s house mean anything for the Toronto Raptors?

By Raju Byfield

TORONTO, CANADA - JUNE 2: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors looks on during Game Two of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors on June 2, 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - JUNE 2: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors looks on during Game Two of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors on June 2, 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Kawhi Leonard has recently purchased a home in the greater Toronto area. Does this mean he’s staying with the Toronto Raptors or has the purchase been overhyped?

The Toronto Raptors are currently in the middle of the NBA Finals. However, in the NBA, the offseason news never stops, and Kawhi Leonard‘s most recent real estate investment has gained some attention.

The buzz first started with TrueHoop’s David Thorpe rumour from last week stating that his sources have informed him that Kawhi would like to return on a short-term deal.

It wasn’t a guarantee, it wasn’t Adrian Wojnarowski, it wasn’t Shams Charania, but it was exciting.

And now, the ‘Kawhi is going to stay’ excitement has now reached a fever pitch following Thrope’s guest spot on Michael Landsberg’s radio show.  Landsberg states that two separate sources have told him that Kawhi Leonard has bought a house in Toronto (Conversation begins at the nine-minute mark).

What does this mean for Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors franchise? Does this news confirm Thorpe’s sources information? Does it simply mean Kawhi sees investment opportunities in Toronto?

Case for

If this rumour is true, it may indeed mean Kawhi Leonard plans on re-signing. By itself, the purchase itself doesn’t confirm much. However, when paired with David Thorpe’s comments, the smoke starts to turn into serious fire.

Kawhi has stated he has enjoyed being the focal point of the Toronto Raptors offense. The team’s incredible playoff run and the emergence of Pascal Siakam could have Kawhi believing that the Raptors are the best basketball fit and that the NBA Finals can be an annual tradition if he stays in Toronto.

The battle for Kawhi’s signature has long been reported to be a two-horse race between the Toronto Raptors and the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Clippers would be a good basketball situation for Kawhi. They’re young, talented, and have future flexibility. But the Raptors are a sure thing. Toronto is already in the NBA Finals. Los Angeles is hoping Kawhi might help them get there.

The current real estate market climate also suggests this reported purchase is more than just an investment.

Unlike the condo he was reported to have purchased in 2018, a house purchase, especially a multi-million dollar property, presents more risk. The local housing market (as opposed to the condo market) has just started to rebound after a rough 2018 that saw house prices dip below their 2017 highs.

Case against

A basketball player buying a house usually is not worthy of discussion, even if it happens to be a little more noteworthy when that purchase is north of the border.

One should remember that Kawhi bought a condo in Toronto when he was acquired by the Raptors, and that certainly did not signal an intent to stay. A once red-hot Toronto housing market that has seen prices fall in the last two years for the first time in over a decade. If this is an investment, there is value to be found.

Furthermore, Kawhi also bought a 13,000 square foot, $13.3 million dollar home house this January in Rancho, Santa Fé, a community in San Diego, California. Wealthy people purchase homes as investments all the time, and that’s exactly what this could be, an investment.

Even if Kawhi is leaning towards staying in Toronto past the 2018-2019 season, how the rest of this series plays out could play a factor in changing his mind. As could the pitches he hears when free agency opens on June 30th.

There are over three weeks to go until free agency opens, and if John Salmons has taught us anything, nothing is certain until a free agent signs his contract.

Verdict

While Toronto Raptors fans undoubtedly want to count this as a certain sign of Kawhi’s allegiance, it’s not quite that black and white.

dark. Next. Will OG Anunoby's return make an impact?

The NBA Finals are still going on, and the free agent in question is playing for one of the last two teams standing. There is plenty of time before July 1, and things can change at the drop of a hat in the NBA. Toronto fans should be excited, but not carried away just yet.