The last time the Raptors were truly great
On July 18th, 2018, the Toronto Raptors made a bold move that few saw coming, trading fan favourite DeMar DeRozan, along with Jakob Poeltl and a protected 2019 first-round pick, to San Antonio. In return, Toronto received Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. A trade that reshaped the franchise and ultimately brought Toronto its first NBA championship.
In 2019, after delivering Toronto’s first title, Kawhi Leonard signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he spent the next seven seasons, into the 2025-26 season.
Now, eight years later
On June 30, 2026, the Toronto Raptors once again broke the internet, leaving basketball fans stunned by their reacquisition of Kawhi Leonard. The player who delivered their first NBA championship is now returning to the franchise, setting the stage for what could be one of the most remarkable chapters in Raptors history.
In exchange, Toronto sent Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, an unprotected first-round pick in 2031, a first-round pick in 2033, a first-round pick swap in 2027, and two second-round picks in 2030 and 2033.
However, the trade quickly grew more complicated than originally expected. The NBA announced an investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers and Kawhi Leonard over potential salary cap circumvention. Reporting from journalist Pablo Torre on his podcast, “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” with additional reporting involving the law firm Wachtell Lipton, Rosen & Katz, brought attention to questions surrounding Leonard’s business relationships.
To read more about the investigation and the results of the case, click Adam’s article here:
NBA Investigation Into LA Clippers Is Over: What Is Their Punishment?
Now back to today
And on September 14th, after the NBA handed down its punishment, the trade was officially finalized.
Kawhi Leonard is back as a Toronto Raptor.
So…….. now what? The Raptors’ starting lineup looks completely different from 2018. It now features Immanuel Quickley at point guard, R.J. Barrett at shooting guard, Kawhi Leonard at small forward, Scottie Barnes at power forward, and Jakob Poeltl at centre. It’s funny how Poeltl was traded back in 2018 to acquire Leonard, but now he’ll be playing alongside Kawhi Leonard. (Funny how that works… eh?) If they want to return to the NBA Finals, though, the NBA landscape has also changed a lot since 2018.
The San Antonio Spurs, the team Kawhi spent the first part of his career with, have emerged as a top NBA team, led by superstar centre Victor Wembanyama and a young core that continues to develop. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was infamously part of the trade that brought Paul George to the Clippers after Kawhi Leonard pushed for George to join him in Los Angeles. Gilgeous-Alexander has now developed into one of the faces of the NBA and one of the league’s biggest stars, making that trade another interesting piece of Kawhi Leonard’s history.
Not only that, they will have to deal with a familiar problem in the Eastern Conference. LeBron James has signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, a team that has loaded up and now features Joel Embiid, LeBron and Jaylen Brown, bringing LeBron back into the East. And we all know the problems LeBron has caused the Raptors in the playoffs throughout his career. Now, with LeBron back in the Eastern Conference, Toronto could once again have to find a way to get past one of the greatest players in NBA history.
The Miami Heat have also become a team worth looking out for after acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo. However the Raptors were perceived back in 2018, Kawhi brought undeniable magic. That series-winner against Philadelphia and the championship run past Golden State helped put Toronto on the level of a true NBA pedigree team. The Raptors have defied the odds before. And with Kawhi back in the frame, maybe it can happen all over again.
Kawhi showed that belief can flip a city’s expectations entirely. With his return, there’s a chance to dream again. Maybe to write another unforgettable chapter. Because if there’s one thing history has shown, this team knows how to surprise people.
So…. I ASK YOU, Raptors fans, can this team “Klaw” its way back to a championship? Or is this move a massive mistake that will be looked at poorly? I’ll let you be the judge.
