The Raptors wrote the plan, and now an MVP center is executing it

The Toronto Raptors achieved what should have been impossible.

In 2018 they pulled off an unexpected and extremely risky trade for San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard. The only reason Leonard was available to begin with was a debilitating knee injury that he was feuding with the Spurs over, and it meant that any team trading for him was taking on the risk that he wouldn't be able to play meaningful minutes for them.

That reality scared off many teams, especially as Leonard was a pending free agent. For most teams trading for Leonard would have meant either seeing him walk a year later, or perhaps worse, have an expensive star who may not even be healthy for that contract to matter.

In fact, that's almost exactly what has happened to the LA Clippers, who have had one truly healthy playoff run with Leonard and otherwise a host of injuries that have kept him out for part or all of the playoffs. After missing the end of the playoffs last season, Leonard was unable to play for Team USA in the Olympics this summer and has yet to be cleared to return as the new season approaches.

The Toronto Raptors had a plan

The Toronto Raptors were the team to trade for Leonard in 2018 because they weren't afraid of the fallout. Their mission was to pull off a one-year miracle: keeping Leonard healthy enough during the year to lead them to a championship. If he left, or if he spent the rest of his career injured, the primary goal was narrowed down to just the 2018-19 season.

And to the Raptors' credit and hindsight's collective disbelief, they did it. Kawhi Leonard played in just 60 games that season, costing him a chance to contend for the MVP award, but in the process made sure he was healthy for the postseason. He did not play a single back-to-back all season long as his workload was managed all season long.

The result? Leonard was healthy for the postseason run, a grueling gauntlet of the Philadelphia 76ers that went to seven games and required a buzzer-beating game-winner from Leonard in Game 7. Then they took down Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks before overcoming an injury-plagued Golden State Warriors team that had dominated the league for the last five seasons.

Leonard averaged 39.1 minutes per game and appeared in all 24 of the Raptors' playoff games; in the five years since he has played in just 28 total playoff games. He averaged 30.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists and won Finals MVP.

Now another Eastern Conference contender wants to copy the same game plan that the Raptors used to win a title.

Joel Embiid is about to go on the Kawhi plan

While Joel Embiid hasn't changed teams since entering the league, he has battled many of the same end-of-season injury concerns as Leonard has. After years of Embiid going down or being hindered due to injury and the Philadelphia 76ers falling short, he and the organization are ready to do whatever it takes to be at their best when the playoffs roll around.

Their best, just like the Raptors' in 2019, could be exceptional. Paul George and Tyrese Maxey form the kind of star trio that fits perfectly together, and they have real depth around them. Nick Nurse, who coached Leonard and the Raptors to the title five years ago, will now have the chance to lead this group to their first title together - and the first for the 76ers since Dr. J and Moses Malone won in 1983.

To do so, the 76ers are implementing the Raptors' same plan. Embiid said recently that he doesn't think he will play a back-to-back ever again in his career, and the team has been vocal about managing his games and minutes in the regular season to maximize his chances to being healthy in the playoffs -- even if it costs them regular season wins, or Embiid personal accolades. Perhaps already having an MVP award helps, but Embiid is now focused on the Larry O'Brien instead.

Can Philadelphia pull their plan off and win the championship? They have the pieces to do it, but injuries are not predictable; part of the Raptors' success was the plan, and part was luck. But Toronto proved that it is possible, and they have a trophy as a result. Joel Embiid hopes to achieve the same this year.