74 reasons why Kawhi Leonard is staying with the Toronto Raptors

25. Danny “The Green Ranger”

Although he had a lacklustre playoffs, Danny Green was an instrumental member of the Raptors. Green came over from San Antonio and helped smooth Leonard’s transition into the new environment by providing a familiar face. It’s unsure if Toronto will keep him. But if he re-signs, his familiarity with Kawhi along with his streaky three-point shooting will be a boost.

24. Norman “Playoff P” Powell

While not always consistent, the real “Playoff P” revived his role with the team by providing energy off the bench. Powell rose to the occasion in the absence of OG Anunoby and was aggressive on both ends of the floor.

He came up big in games 3 and 4 of the Milwaukee series and helped the Raptors turn the series around. Even as the ninth member of the team, Powell is an X-Factor.

23. Raptors 905

The Raptors owe plenty of their success to their G-League counterpart: the Raptors 905. Pascal Siakam, Norman Powell, and Fred VanVleet are all products of the 905 just to name a few. Siakam was drafted late in the first, Powell in the second, and VanVleet was undrafted. Yet all three turned out to be fantastic players who all contributed to the Raptors’ championship run.

22. Three-Point Spacing the Raptors Provide

Just two seasons ago, the Raptors were in the bottom-third of the league in three-point shooting. However, their gradual but stark improvement from long-range was the difference in their title run. Literally, everyone on the roster is capable of hitting the long ball.

Toronto ranked eighth in the 2018-19 season in three-pointers made. Being surrounded by teammates who can stretch the defense gives Kawhi all the room to operate within the paint and also improved his playmaking.

The Clippers? Tied for sixth-worst in three-point shooting.

21. Keep the Good Times Rolling

Arguing that winning a championship is a good reason for Kawhi Leonard to leave is like saying the perfect time to leave a party is right at the point when everyone is having a blast. Who does that? The party ends when Toronto stops being the champion.

20. Bobby Webster

Most people still don’t know, but Masai Ujiri is NOT Toronto’s general manager. It’s Bobby Webster. The Hawaiian has been with the team since 2013 and was promoted to GM in 2017.

Webster worked in the NBA league office and was renowned for his expertise with the CBA. Kawhi can be assured that Webster will work his magic in finding the right way to structure the team.

19. Serge Ibaka

A former rival in Oklahoma City, Ibaka helped Kawhi win his second championship with some big moments of his own. In Game 7, Ibaka was on fire from deep hitting three-of-five big three-pointers and was a +22. In the NBA Finals, Ibaka averaged 16.7 points in the final three games and kept Toronto in the game with timely rebounds and scoring.

Ibaka has been an anchor for the second unit and with an expiring contract, he can even be used as a bargaining chip should Toronto want to make any additional moves.

18. Best Combination of Young Talent and Veterans

The combination of youth and experience helped Toronto overcome the odds. Grizzled vets like Marc Gasol and Kyle Lowry helped guide the young bucks like Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet while the latter’s energy pushed the team forward. Kawhi falls somewhere in between and can serve as the in-prime bridge between the two groups.

17. OG Anunoby

Even if he was absent during the Raptors’ title run and even if he’s had a bit of a “sophomore slump”, there is no doubt Anunoby is one of the team’s brightest players. Anunoby has both the size and dogged determination to become an elite two-way player not unlike… Kawhi!

Like Kawhi, Anunoby was drafted late in the first round, and like Kawhi, his first two years in the NBA didn’t exactly light the world on fire. He can take inspiration from the two-time Finals MVP and be the team’s next breakout stud.

16. That D!

The Raptors were like cockroaches in the playoffs: you just couldn’t kill them. They came back repeatedly despite having an on-and-off offense. Credit their indomitable defense. Toronto neutralized the likes of Steph Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Joel Embiid. They stopped top-three offenses in the Warriors and Bucks.

Their defense symbolized them as a team of…

15. Underdogs!

Toronto was never the favorite heading into the playoffs or even heading into the finals. Now, even after winning the title, people want to put an asterisk due to Golden State injuries.

This group of guys who have been underestimated their whole careers banded together and peaked at the right moment to capture an improbable title. Now, they can go get another one.

14. Marc Gasol

The late addition of Gasol is what pushed Toronto over the top. The former Defensive Player of the Year anchored the team’s middle. Gasol was a crucial factor in neutering the Sixers’ Joel Embiid and his playmaking, while often overlooked, is what led to the Raptors’ improvement in three-point shooting. Oh, and nobody on the team was happier during the parade.

13. Team Has all Its Picks to Make Moving Forward

Unlike a certain other Los Angeles team, the Raptors did not gut all of its picks for the next five years giving them some flexibility for the future. Toronto can use many of these picks for leverage when structuring their team of the future.

12. Fred VanVleet Sr. a.k.a. Poppa Freddy a.k.a. Steph Curry Stopper

Kawhi was the MVP. Lowry was the heart and soul of the team. But damn, was VanVleet the stud. The man now known as Fred VanVleet Sr. was having atrocious playoffs up until Game 4 against the Bucks. The rest of the playoffs went another way.

If there was ever proof that having a kid was a productivity enhancer, look no further. VanVleet averaged 14.7 points in the final nine games of the playoffs and shot a staggering 52.6-percent from three. Most importantly, he defended Curry better than any Raptor. And he got a Finals MVP vote!

11. Board Man Gets Paid!

Money isn’t everything. But it sure does mean a lot of things! Here is how much money Kawhi can make:

• $190 million: if he re-signs with Toronto for five years (fifth year is a player option)
• $141 million: if he signs with the Clippers (or another team) for four years
• $68 million: if he re-signs with Toronto for two years (plus a player option at $38 million)
• $33 million: if he re-signs one year with Toronto (plus a player option at $35 million)

Whether it’s flexibility (one or two-year deals) or making as much money as possible (five-year deal), the Raptors have the advantage.