Toronto Raptors: Future of Kawhi Leonard will affect Marc Gasol

The looming free agency decision of Kawhi Leonard will likely affect every member of the Toronto Raptors roster. Most of all Marc Gasol, who has a player option he can choose to opt into this offseason.

A lot has been made of the impending free agency decision of Kawhi Leonard and rightly so. Will he stay with the Toronto Raptors or will he move on?

There are secondary effects that come with Leonard’s decision too. The Raptors have a few notable players heading into free agency and their futures can be directly linked to Leonard and his plans. Danny Green is one of those players. Green was part of the trade that brought Leonard to Toronto in July 2018 and proved to be an instant hit.

Green expressed his desire to return to Toronto for the chance to run it back and compete for another championship. Hopefully, that goal proves attainable.

The former San Antonio Spur and one-time Cleveland Cavalier isn’t the only player whose fate, theoretically, rests in the giant hands of Kawhi Leonard. Marc Gasol, who was acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies back in February is also a potential free agent heading into the offseason.

Gasol, unlike Green, has a lot more say regarding his future.

The Grizzlies and Gasol agreed on a 5-year $113,211,750 contract back in July 2015, when Gasol was heading into his age-30 season. Memphis were riding high when the contract was inked but the past few seasons saw their aging squad begin to show their, well, age.

Long story short, Gasol joined the Raptors and won his first ever NBA Championship. He then proceeded to provide some of the most fun moments at the championship parade.

Heading into this offseason, Gasol can potentially become an unrestricted free agent if he opts out of a player option worth $25,595,700. That may mean he decides to negotiate a more team-friendly deal with the Raptors to secure his place on a championship favorite once again.

Or he may opt out entirely in search of the bag, coming into free agency with a ring and the reputation of an elite defender who provided trouble for two of the best big men in the game: Joel Embiid and Nikola Vucevic.

A lot of his thinking will relate to Leonard and where he decides to take his talents. If Leonard re-signs in Toronto, the Raptors immediately remain the frontrunners to retain their shiny new crown.

That’ll likely play on Gasol’s mind. As it well should. The opportunity to become an NBA champion does not present itself to every player in the NBA, much the opposite. Therefore, the opportunity to become a two-time champion is even less likely. Sticking with Toronto gives Gasol that chance that not many other teams looking to acquire his services can provide.

Gasol is heading into his age-34 season and isn’t getting any younger, the window of competitiveness is closing. Sticking around in Toronto would probably be his ideal scenario at this point. He actively made the team better upon his arrival and should be allowed to flourish as a secondary playmaker in an offense that possesses multiple ball-handlers.

If Leonard leaves, however, then the future of the franchise becomes a little murkier. The Raptors would still have a talented roster, but without a superstar like Kawhi Leonard to break their ceiling, their position as championship favorites looks less than likely.

In that situation, the Raptors can either run it back for a fun season, look to add another star or just blow it all up. Where would that leave Gasol?

He could opt in for that one year of guaranteed money, look to move to another contender or just decide to negotiate a new deal with the Raptors, deciding to settle down in Toronto and unwind on a great career. Either way, Gasol has a lot left in the tank, but his future is undecided at this moment in time.