Prediction #3 – He Will Stay in Toronto
Picture this: A superstar player is unhappy with the team he’s spent the majority of his career with. He voices his desire to be traded, creating an influx of offers from around the league. The superstar player has made it clear that he would enjoy playing in LA for the Lakers, his hometown team.
Despite this, his team trades him to a different team – one year before he is expected to hit the free agent market. The player is expected to be nothing more than a rental for his new team, even though this team has the potential to be a contender in the very near future. All signs point to this superstar signing with the Lakers – until they don’t.
If that sounds familiar, it should. That’s the story of Paul George, who was in a very similar situation to the one Kawhi finds himself in currently. Paul George wanted out of Indiana and expressed a desire to potentially play for the Lakers in his hometown. Even though he wasn’t expected to sign long-term with the Thunder after being traded there, the front office and his fellow players convinced him to do so.
The same thing could very well happen for Kawhi Leonard in Toronto. In fact, given some of the things Kawhi is looking for, it may be even more likely to happen. Kawhi is reportedly upset with Jordan Brand over his shoe contract, a contract he believes would be more lucrative if he played in a bigger market.
You could argue that there’s no bigger market to play in than Toronto since they’re the only NBA team in the entire country of Canada. Vince Carter was a national icon in Canada when he played for the Raptors, and Kawhi Leonard has the potential to become one if he sticks around.
The Raptors are also in a very good position from a basketball standpoint. They’ve drafted well, giving them a well-rounded roster that can help on both offense and defense. They’ve managed to become a constant presence among the Eastern Conference’s elite teams, and with Leonard, there could take the next step to a title contender.
Compare that to a Lakers team that is still trying to find out exactly what it is and what their aspirations should be, and Kawhi’s choice becomes a little more complicated. Kawhi Leonard is not Paul George, so it’s unfair to assume that he would make the same kind of decision. Still, the pros and cons will definitely be on his mind when it’s time to sign a new contract.
