Top 10 Free Agents the Toronto Raptors Should Chase in 2021

Number 10

Kawhi Leonard

The Toronto Raptors Championship winning superstar, Kawhi Leonard, is on this list in a peculiar position. The forward, who was once the talk of having a statue erected of him in Toronto, drops to the bottom of the top 10. Despite the history with the Raps and their dedicated pursuit of re-signing him in the summer of 2019, he truly isn’t a likely candidate to take back his throne as the King of the North.

Leonard has a player option for next year, which barring injury, he will likely decline in the hunt for a bigger payday. This should automatically make him the most valuable free agent in the 2021 class now that Antetokounmpo is staying in Milwaukee.

Just because Leonard turns down his player option, doesn’t mean he has to depart the Los Angeles Clippers. In fact, he is almost certain to re-sign with the team that swiped him away from the Raptors.

It was reported that Leonard was consulted by Paul George before George signed a four-year $190 million extension with the Clips. This suggests that Leonard tipped his hand and shared his future plans with his teammate. Those plans include the California sun and not Toronto winters. It’s probably not even worth Webster’s and Ujiri’s time to once again attempt to woo Leonard.

While a return to the place where he earned his most recent ring would be incredible for the franchise and its fans, it’s pretty clear that at this point, the Klaw has made up his mind over his geographic priorities. Sadly, it means he’s not going to be wearing a dino on his chest in the near future.