Kawhi Leonard’s fallout with the Spurs organisation has been the talk of the league for most part of San Antonio’s last campaign. Tony Parker’s comment on Kawhi’s injury didn’t help either. Kawhi and his camp made it clear that the player wanted to move to his hometown in LA leaving a potential $219 million super max on the table. Lakers were the prohibitive favourites to land the 27 years old ahead of the Clippers because of what they could potentially offer to the Spurs as a trade. But, the Lakers decision to hold on to their young core and wait for 2019 to sign Leonard via free agency, coupled with the lack of interest from Boston and Philadelphia, put the Spurs in a difficult situation. And by the time Toronto came knocking on the door with DeRozan, the Spurs had no leverage and accepted to trade their franchise player to the north.

With no LeBron in the East, the Raptors saw it better to invest in the immediate future and compete against the favourite, Celtics and the exciting 76ers. When Kawhi is fit, he is the best two-way player in the league, a MVP front runner and an All-Star and an upgrade from DeRozan. With an exciting roster, they have chance to improve on their last outing and make it to the organisation’s first ever Finals. And come next season, the Raptors would hope to have a PG13-Thunder situation. But, it would take something incredible to keep hold of the Klaw when the two LA teams with cap room to offer him the max come to bring him home.