4 Former Raptors who have thrived since leaving, 2 who have fallen flat
Thriving: Fred VanVleet
The Toronto Raptors refused to pay Fred VanVleet market value in the summer of 2023 and he walked in free agency to sign with the Houston Rockets, where he has been cleared for liftoff. He has proven to be the perfect centerpiece to their offense as new head coach Ime Udoka brought together a group of talented young players with a few key veterans. The result was a major leap up the standings and a lot of hope for the future.
VanVleet will eventually work himself out of a job, but for now he is the No. 1 option and running the offense. He averaged a solid 17.4 points per game to go with 8.1 assists, in the Top-10 in the league, and shot 38.7 percent from deep on a whopping eight attempts per game. Only six players hit more 3-pointers per game. As VanVleet enters his 30s and the young players on the Rockets improve he will eventually find a new home, but right now he is getting paid like a star and backing it up with his play.
Falling Flat: Kawhi Leonard
On the surface, it's hard to point at Kawhi Leonard and say that he has fallen flat since leaving the Toronto Raptors. He has made three All-NBA teams in five seasons, including the First Team in 2021, and been in the mix for both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year multiple times. He is averaging 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists while shooting 40.2 percent from the 3-point line in Los Angeles.
Yet Leonard left the Raptors in the aftermath of winning the title to go and win more in his hometown of Los Angeles, teaming up with Paul George to do so. Their results in five seasons together? Three series victories. Leonard won more than that in his one season in Toronto! Injuries have been the largest factor, but even when healthy the Clippers have not been championship favorites and they utterly collapsed against the Denver Nuggets in the Bubble. Leonard is still extremely good when healthy, but he has not achieved the levels of success he envisioned when he walked away from the Raptors.