Party Like It's 2019: Kawhi Leonard Is Officially Returning To The North After Being Traded Back To The Toronto Raptors

Nathaniel S. Butler. Getty Images.

Over the last few days, all signs were pointing to the Clippers getting out of the Kawhi Leonard business. They made it clear they didn't want to extend Kawhi who was entering the final year of his deal ($50M) and was set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027, and once that happens, there's really only one move to make. You can't lose that asset for nothing, which meant it was time to flip the player for whatever you can get.

It then came out that of all the possible destinations that Kawhi could land with, it was his former team in the Toronto Raptors that he felt OK about extending with. When trading for a player on an expiring deal, that pending extension is the most important part of the equation. Nobody is going to trade for a 35 year old Kawhi and give up what it takes to make that deal if the plan for him is to walk right after the season. The irony of all this is the fact that it's exactly what Kawhi and the Raptors did in 2019, only to see Kawhi walk to LA after winning their title.

As more and more time went on, things changed from an "if" Kawhi ended in TOR to more of a "when". It felt like an inevitablility, and now it's official

Giphy Images.

You have to admit, the optics of this are pretty funny. The Clippers being investigated for their fugazi endorsement deal which everyone knows was really a way for the Clippers to circumvent the salary cap and pay Kawhi under the table (allegedly) and before a verdict can come down, Kawhi has bolted for Canada. Can't void Kawhi's contract with the Clippers if there's no longer a Kawhi contract that has him on the Clippers ya know?

Giphy Images.

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Even if that's not what's happening here, the fact that it looks that way from the outside is hilarious. When you think about it, it's actually a pretty fantastic play by Kawhi. He didn't want to go to TOR but was sent there anyway and had one of the most dominant postseason runs we've ever seen to capture the franchise's only title where he becomes a God for the rest of time. Then he bolts to go live in LA for a few years while making max money as well as some under the table perks, never really does shit in LA yet it hasn't hurt his legacy or perception as a player one bit, and now he's going back to TOR where he's secured another extension at 35 despite his injury history and he once again gets to be the savior for the Raptors.

That's not a bad gig if you can get it.

In terms of looking at the trade, this might be one of those rare occurrences that's a win/win for both sides. Considering they were facing the possibility of losing the asset for nothing, the Clippers flip that asset for someone in Ingram who isn't "awful" and only has 1+1 left on his deal, which means that if they want the Clippers will probably be able to flip him down the line if needed for additional assets. Grady Dick is whatever, but maybe a change of scenery will help, and he's technically still a young asset. Then you add in the draft capital as the Clippers now enter a new phase of their rebuild and that's not a terrible haul.

For the Raptors, you're not just getting Kawhi, but a version of Kawhi who played arguably some of his best basketball in years last season

Did you know Kawhi played 65 games last year, and has played at least 65 in 2 of the last 3 years, where he made 2nd Team All NBA in both of those seasons? This is not the case of a washed-up player being moved. If Kawhi is on the floor, he's still as good as he's ever been. While you can never bank on health with a player that has his injury history, it's certainly worth the gamble for the Raptors in my opinion. 

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Is it crazy that the Raptors essentially paid more for a 35 year old Kawhi than when they traded for him back in 2019? I guess, but today's price is not always yesterday's price. 

This trade just goes to show, the NBA will never be predictable when it comes to this stuff. Given how quickly Kawhi got the hell out of Toronto despite WINNING A GODDAMN TITLE, you could never convince me that not only would Kawhi end up back with the Raptors a handful of years later, but that they would be his preferred destination and based on reports, the only team he was interested in extending with. Zero chance I would believe you if you told me that in 2019.

But that's the beauty of the NBA. Even the most insane takes sometimes end up not being all that insane. Whether that's Kawhi going back to the Raptors, or LeBron leaving the Lakers to potentially team up with Steph Curry or play for the Cavs for a third time. 

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times. Nobody does it like the NBA.