The Raptors’ second trade for Kawhi Leonard is happening under very different circumstances from their blockbuster move in 2018—unless it doesn’t go through after all. This time, Leonard is actually thrilled to go to Toronto. He singled out the Raptors as one of the few teams he would actually sign an extension with if the Clippers were to trade him this summer. At 35, it’s difficult to imagine that Leonard would want to be somewhere where he thinks he can win.
Leonard isn’t the only former Raptors star who wants to be back in Toronto, either. NBA insider Jake Fischer recently reported that six-time All-Star and former Raptors first-round pick DeMar DeRozan would also welcome another stint in Canada to close out his career. DeRozan was waived by the Kings, and even at 36, he is now one of the top free agents available this summer.
The fact that these veteran stars want to be in Toronto is a testament to what the Raptors are building with their young core around Scottie Barnes and proof that the Raptors did exactly what they needed to do to reach the next phase of their building process: They made people outside of the organization trust that they can build on last season’s success and become a contender with the right star next to Barnes. It doesn’t even matter if the Raptors are interested in a reunion with DeRozan. What matters is that people want to play for the Raptors and are eager to be a part of what they’re building. That’s how you know that you’re on the right track.
There’s a lot of excitement around the Raptors’ potential
The Raptors still have a bunch of stuff to figure out—spacing, center depth, and guard play are at the top of the list—but they have a young star (who should have made All-NBA this year) in Scottie Barnes, Collin Murray-Boyles, who put together a great rookie season, and a tough defensive identity to lean on. That’s a great foundation for success, and it allowed the Raptors to almost win their first-round series against the Cavaliers despite playing without Immanuel Quickley and Brandon Ingram.
With Leonard now back in the mix, the Raptors put a lot of pressure on themselves to contend for a championship in the next few seasons, but they also notably raised their ceiling. Leonard can be the veteran co-star Barnes needs to take this team to the next level—if he’s healthy.
The Raptors organization made their feelings about Scottie Barnes crystal clear with the Leonard trade. They believe that he is ready for the next step. However, the interest from veteran stars outside of the organization (although with ties to it), meanwhile, proves that the belief in Barnes and many of the pieces around him isn’t just a Toronto thing.
The Raptors’ return to the playoffs was a chance to announce themselves to an audience that may not have followed them in the regular season, and they made the most of it—especially Barnes, Murray-Boyles, and RJ Barrett.
Barnes led the way in every aspect of the game with 24.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 8.6 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game. Barrett stepped up big to make up for Ingram’s struggles and injury with 24.1 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Murray-Boyles defied the rookie limits and emerged as the team’s third-most productive player with averages of 14.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.1 blocks.
They signaled to the rest of the league that they are building for an exciting future, and now others want to be a part of it.
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