Kawhi Leonard commerce grades for Raptors, Clippers blockbuster that returns legend to Toronto

Kawhi Leonard led the Toronto Raptors to one of the crucial unbelievable championships in NBA historical past again in 2019 throughout his solely season with the franchise. Leonard would go away for the Los Angeles Clippers in free company weeks later, and ever since each events have did not recoup the identical degree of success they loved collectively.

The concept of Leonard returning to Toronto felt prefer it was by no means going to occur, however issues can change quick within the NBA. Six years after they teamed up on an unforgettable run to the Larry O’Brien Trophy, Kawhi and Raptors are collectively once more.

Toronto acquired Leonard from the Clippers in change for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, 2031 and 2033 unprotected first-round draft picks, a 2027 first-round choose swap, and two second-round picks, according to Shams Charania.

The Raptors consider they will compete to win the East once more with Leonard in tow. The Clippers are rebuilding. Let’s grade this commerce for each side.

Raptors grade for Kawhi Leonard deal

Toronto returned to the playoffs final 12 months after three years within the wilderness, and pushing an eventual convention finalist within the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven video games within the first-round. The Raptors principally did it with protection, driving a top-5 unit to 46 wins whereas the offense was league-average. If Toronto wished to enhance this 12 months, they needed to increase the offense with out sacrificing the protection, they usually did precisely that by touchdown Leonard.

Kawhi instantly fixes quite a lot of Toronto’s greatest points if he can keep wholesome. He offers them half-court shot creation, three-point capturing, and one other ferocious wing defender who can roam off the ball as his youthful teammates tackle more durable assignments. Leonard quietly had the most effective years of his profession at 34 years previous final season, placing up a career-best 43.3 factors per 100 possessions whereas additionally rebounding the ball in addition to ever. He graded out because the fifth-best participant within the league final season by EPM, and completed even higher than that in quite a lot of other all-in-one advanced metrics.

You don’t want a flowery algorithm to let you know Kawhi is basically good at Basketball when he’s on the ground. He’s a brilliant environment friendly scorer from all three ranges who doesn’t flip the ball over, rebounds effectively, and might nonetheless be a terror defensively. It’s fairly wonderful that Toronto was capable of land him with out actually giving up a lot worth.

Ingram had a pleasant 12 months final season, however he was completely not on a team-friendly contract with $82 million owed to him over the following two seasons. Dick has principally been a bust. That is all about Toronto giving up two future first-round picks and a choose swap. You may argue the Raptors are mortgaging their future to chase a championship proper now with Kawhi, however he’s price it so long as he can keep on the ground. It’s wild that the Raptors gave up extra draft capital to get Kawhi in 2026 than they did in 2018.

The one danger right here for the Raptors comes with Kawhi’s looming contract extension. He’s 35, and clearly he has an extended historical past of not being wholesome earlier than this previous season. Judging this transfer in a vacuum, although, it’s a house run for Toronto. I don’t know why different potential contenders didn’t get in on the bidding.

Clippers grade for Kawhi Leonard deal

It’s comprehensible that the Clippers didn’t need to give Kawhi a contract extension, and that made buying and selling him a straightforward alternative. His worth was by no means going to get increased than it’s proper now after a terrific season. I’m simply undecided the Clippers acquired the very best deal they may have.

The bidding for Kawhi appeared prefer it was a bit depressed as a result of he indicated he was solely keen to signal an extension with the Raptors or San Antonio Spurs. My response to that: who cares! Leonard is so good that different contenders ought to have been making an attempt to commerce for him. We’ve already seen him lead a championship run as a rental, and it would really be a good factor for one more crew that he gained’t take a contract extension proper now if his physique breaks down once more. I believe Denver, Boston, Detroit, Philly, and extra ought to have gotten in on the bidding. The Raptors’ provide wasn’t that robust.

My guess is the Clippers flip Ingram both on the commerce deadline or subsequent summer season as an expiring contract. The 2 first-round picks are the actual prize right here, and the Clippers did effectively to additionally get a future choose swap.

The Clippers’ future rests on the shoulders of No. 5 total choose Keaton Wagler, with Darius Garland as a sub-headliner, and now they’ve extra future belongings to proceed to construct round them. LA has quite a lot of work to do, however getting out of the Kawhi enterprise is a brilliant transfer as a result of they couldn’t compete for a title with him. They did effectively on this commerce for an expiring contract.