The Toronto Raptors made the big move by reacquiring Kawhi Leonard from the Los Angeles Clippers, but now find themselves in a tough financial position.
With Leonard's massive salary coming in, the Raptors have limited flexibility to fill out the rest of their roster, which could hold this team back from really going over the top. The counter to that is that with a player like Leonard now joining Scottie Barnes in Toronto, the Raptors may be viewed as contenders by other veterans looking to chase a championship.Â
One of those players could be Bradley Beal. The 33-year-old guard opted out of his $5.6 million contract with the Clippers and is now an unrestricted free agent. The assumption is that Beal opted out of that deal not for more money but to chase a title, which he has been trying to do since he departed from Washington in the 2023 offseason.
Leonard did spend time with Beal last season in LA, and if he wants to chase a title while still having a role that lets him play, there are few better fits around the league than the Raptors.
Beal could be a perfect upside swing free agent for Toronto
This past season, Beal averaged 8.2 points and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 37.5 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from three.Â
Obviously, those stats aren’t incredible, and on top of that, Beal only played six games after suffering a season-ending hip injury. My counter to Beal’s stats being down to start last season is that the Clippers were horrific until the first quarter of the season passed, and he didn’t play enough to ever find a true rhythm. Players who are of the shot-creating bucket getter archetype, like Beal, not being in rhythm is the worst possible thing, as all of your scoring comes from being in a flow.Â
Beal never really had the chance to find that flow or rhythm, which is why he posted career lows across the board.
I’m not saying him signing with the Raptors for the minimum is going to help him get back into the flow and be this unreal 25+ point scorer he was in Washington. But at full health in a role that would only ask him to come off the bench and give instant offense, I can see Beal being extremely impactful.
A move like this wouldn’t come without risk. As I mentioned, Beal is 33 years old, his stats have steadily declined, and he has an injury history dating back to well before last season with the Clippers. But when you take a swing on the trade market for a 35-year-old superstar in Kawhi Leonard, everything is on the table.
If the Raptors are truly trying to maximize the Kawhi window, more risks will have to be taken, and signing Beal could be a risk with a very pretty reward.
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