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If Kawhi Leonard opts out,Toronto Raptors should not pursue

By Jason Mills

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors celebrates his teams win over the Golden State Warriors in Game Six to win the 2019 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 13, 2019 in Oakland, California. 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. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors celebrates his teams win over the Golden State Warriors in Game Six to win the 2019 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 13, 2019 in Oakland, California. 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. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Kawhi Leonard, Toronto Raptors
TORONTO, ON – MAY 12: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

Team chemistry wasn’t an issue in Toronto, but has been in Los Angeles.

Upon signing his three-year deal in Los Angeles during his free agency in the summer of 2019, it’s been widely reported that Leonard and his camp made wild demands, as his uncle, Dennis Robertson, was reportedly influential in getting teams to pony up the goods.

Further, after the Clippers made a trade with Oklahoma City for Paul George to win the Leonard sweepstakes, George had surgery on both shoulders, missing games in the 2019/20 season, and Leonard missed 15 games with his continued load management.

The preferential treatment didn’t sit well with teammates, as reported here by Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic:

"He isn’t necessarily standoffish, sources say, and there are times when he lives up to that “Fun Guy” reputation that has become part of his one-of-a-kind profile — even more so recently as he’s grown more comfortable around his teammates. He’s certainly more talkative and playful behind the scenes than in front of the media, when he rarely says a word outside of the scrum of reporters who speak to him, on average, for a few minutes at a time. But there can be a tangible distance, sources say. Multiple players, according to league sources, don’t feel the team practices as hard or as seriously as it should at this point in the season."

In 2020, the Clippers exited the playoff picture much earlier than anticipated. A Western Conference Final for the first time in Clippers’ history this season was ruined because Leonard was once again hobbled due to a right knee sprain/ACL tear and unable to play a minute in the now-concluded six-game series vs. the Suns.

None of these issues popped up while Leonard was toiling for Toronto in 2018-19, perhaps because he was trying to re-establish himself as a superstar. The Raptors need to rebuild somewhat gradually, and adding an incongruous Kawhi piece might upset the chemistry, cost a ton, and not fit very well with regards to their timeline.