The Toronto Raptors agreed to a deal that will bring Kawhi Leonard back to Canada and send a package led by Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick to the Los Angeles Clippers. For their troubles, LA will also be getting some of the Raptors' more attractive tradable NBA Draft picks.
Shams Charania reported that the picks heading to Los Angeles are unprotected first-round picks in the 2031 and 2033 NBA Drafts and second-round picks in 2030 and 2033. LA also received the right to swap picks with Toronto in the 2027 NBA Draft. This represents quite the investment on Bobby Webster's part.
On one hand, the Raptors are giving the Clippers some prime picks from a time that will likely be after Leonard retires. On the other hand, Leonard can have a humungous impact on this team's contention chances in the short-term future, and multiple top picks is the going rate for someone of his caliber.
Toronto Raptors' Kawhi Leonard trade details finalized
Raptors get: Kawhi Leonard
Clippers get: 2027 right to swap first-round picks, 2031 first-round pick, 2033 first-round pick, 2020 second-round pick, 2033 second-round pick
The Raptors are placing a big bet on their coaching staff, as they believe they can develop the young prospects they have currently and players who will be picked in the next three years to such an exemplary degree that they can part ways with a pick in the future. Five years is an eternity in the modern NBA, and the league landscape will look much different when it comes time to make those picks.
Not only did the Raptors need to surrender a haul of assets to get a player of Leonard's caliber in the first place, but they also needed to overcome their small-market curse. They will never be a prime free agency target, especially with some big contracts on the books, and aggressive trades are the only way to add superstar-level talent.
The Raptors may have overreacted to their trades for Thad Young and Jakob Poeltl in past seasons, often hoarding picks at critical moments instead of adding to the squad. Bobby Webster has seemingly decided that if he goes down betting on someone like Leonard, that risk is perfectly reasonable. Toronto fans would likely agree with that sentiment.
The last time Toronto was this exceedingly bold in trying to acquire a game-changing player, it was when they pried Leonard loose from the San Antonio Spurs. Toronto is hoping that lightning can strike the same place twice, and a similar aggressive push could be what sets them apart in an Eastern Conference getting stronger by the day.
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