Wouldn't this be something, huh?
Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report NBA brings us a recent piece titled "The Perfect 2026 Offseason Trade for Every NBA Team," and of course, it outlines what he suggests as the ideal, hypothetical trade scenario for the Toronto Raptors to explore this summer. In Swartz' suggested trade idea, the Raptors opt to rewind back to their summer blockbuster from a bygone era in a very daring effort to recapture old glory.
The trade proposal is as follows:
Raptors welcome a Kawhi reunion in bold Bleacher Report trade idea
Call it the Raptors-Kawhi Saga Part Two: Electric Boogaloo. Swartz kicks off his excerpt on this Raptors trade idea with the line: "I mean, trading for Leonard worked out pretty well the first time…"
And while that’s true — Leonard has surprisingly turned over a new leaf and is enjoying a rejuvenated career year in his 14th NBA season — trying to catch lightning in a bottle again with an idea that worked in a bygone Raptors era, in the hope that it’ll pay off once more, is quite the gamble. I wouldn’t say it’s a hard sell outright; many Raptors fans would likely jump at the chance to revisit that chapter in franchise history. Heck, it certainly caught my eye to the degree that I wanted to share my thoughts on the idea with you all here.
But even with Leonard still playing elite basketball and remaining a key contributor, the current circumstances are fraught with volatility — arguably even more so than when the Raptors made their Kawhi push back in 2018.
The Raptors would be taking a significant risk here, essentially swapping what Brandon Ingram offers them now for Kawhi Leonard. On the surface, that’s not a terrible idea, but we need to consider the other pieces involved. Toronto would be giving up two promising young players — Collin Murray-Boyles and Ja'Kobe Walter — in the process. I understand that when a star like Kawhi is on the table, the team making the push has to be willing to part with valuable assets. Still, it’s important to remember, we’re talking about a 34-year-old (turning 35 before the 2026-27 season) Kawhi Leonard, who could very well leave Toronto again in free agency, as Swartz points out.
While Kawhi in his mid-30s might still be better than what Walter and CMB could reach offensively down the line, I genuinely believe those two young players have long-term potential to be key building blocks for the Raptors’ future. CMB is exactly the kind of player you'd want on a championship team. He’s already making waves in his rookie year, and just imagine how much more impactful CMB could become as he develops. As for Walter, I see a lot of 3-and-D potential in him, with the upside to emerge as a key role player or even a starter if his shooting comes together in the coming years.
Additionally, the Raptors would have to part with their first-round pick this year, which is projected to be in the late teens. That’s a pretty steep ask on top of an already costly package for just one player — an aging player at that, with plenty of questions around his durability and whether he’s truly willing to buy into Toronto as a destination. He wasn’t exactly a Toronto guy before; who’s to say that sentiment would change again?
To be clear, I have nothing personal against Kawhi Leonard. No one can ever take away the 2019 championship from this organization or its fans — that moment is etched into history forever. But that chapter closed a long time ago. We've moved on from those days; Masai Ujiri is no longer here and all those core pieces have either retired or advanced elsewhere.
And while the idea of this hypothetical trade might seem tempting, it’s worth noting that bringing Leonard back into a system that's nothing like the legendary 2018-19 squad would be a mistake. Toronto's already thin roster would be gutted even further. Honestly, if I’m considering a trade package like this, I’d probably entertain the idea for Giannis Antetokounmpo instead of Kawhi. The Raptors would be better served exploring other options or committing to a full rebuild — hastily chasing an old ex reeks of desperation, to be quite honest.