Kawhi Leonard is making a return to the Toronto Raptors, seven years after leading the team to its first NBA championship. The trade with the LA Clippers was finalized on Monday, with Leonard being acquired in exchange for Gradey Dick, Brandon Ingram, two unprotected first-round picks, a first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks.
Read More
This development comes after the Raptors improved significantly in the 2025-26 season, winning 16 more games than the previous year and achieving their best season in terms of point differential in six years. With Leonard's addition, the Raptors aim to further enhance their competitiveness in the Eastern Conference.
The Clippers, on the other hand, are in the midst of a roster overhaul, moving towards building a younger team. During Leonard’s tenure in LA, the Clippers held the league's fourth-best record, but failed to capture a championship.
1. Defensive Enhancements
The Raptors ranked fifth in the league defensively last season, allowing 112.1 points per 100 possessions. Despite this, they struggled against the top teams, ranking just 12th defensively against the league’s top 10 offenses and 23rd in opponent free throw rate. While Leonard is not the defensive force he once was, he remains a strong contributor, averaging 122 steals and 27 blocks with only 78 personal fouls last season, leading in blocked shots plus steals per foul among players with significant minutes.
2. Closing Out Games
While the Raptors excelled in transition scoring, they struggled with late-game offensive execution, posting one of the lowest effective field goal percentages in the final seconds of the shot clock. Leonard could provide much-needed scoring ability in these critical moments, having posted a 53.0% effective field goal percentage in late-clock situations over the past three seasons.
3. Playoff Brilliance
Leonard's history as a playoff performer adds value to the Raptors. He boasts an average of 21.5 points per game in 146 playoff games, with a true shooting percentage of 62.1%, second among players with at least 20 points per game in over 10 playoff games. His ability to perform under pressure is exemplified by his memorable game-winning shot in Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019.
4. Clippers’ Roster Reset
The Clippers' trade of Leonard signals a complete shift from their previous roster, which featured big-name players like James Harden and Bradley Beal. Only Brook Lopez remains from last season’s acquisitions. Currently, just 42% of the Clippers' minutes from the 2025-26 season are accounted for by players under contract for the 2026-27 season, the lowest continuity rate in the league. The team appears to be transitioning to a younger core centered around Darius Garland and rookie Keaton Wagler.
John Schuhmann has covered the NBA for over 20 years.