According to VanVleet, a confused Kawhi Leonard immediately intended to leave the Raptors at the end of the 2018-19 season following the franchise's acquisition of him.
In his appearance on the Hello and Welcome podcast, Fred VanVleet confessed that Kawhi Leonard was perplexed by his trade landing with the Toronto Raptors and immediately aired his desire to leave following the 2018-19 season.
Toronto Raptors / Schedule
Disgruntled with how the San Antonio Spurs handled his injury, Leonard forced his way out of the franchise in 2018. The superstar mainly desired to go home and continue playing in Los Angeles, but the Spurs sent him to Toronto alongside Danny Green for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and a draft asset (Keldon Johnson).
Behind top executive Masai Ujiri, the Raptors believed Leonard could get them over the hump and made the bold gamble to acquire him despite the strong possibility he would exit after the 2018–19 season, with his contract set to expire.
In the end, it became a major success for Toronto. Amid uncertainty around Leonard's future, the Raps flourished with him as they won 59 games in the regular season. They made it to the NBA Finals in a compelling run, beating the Golden State Warriors in six to clinch the franchise's first-ever title.
Leonard, who was named the Finals MVP, saved the Raptors multiple times in the postseason with his heroics and clutch takeover, highlighted by that iconic Game 7 bounce against the Philadelphia 76ers in the East Semifinals round. He averaged 30.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists over 24 games, silencing his critics over his scandalous Spurs departure.
After their historic season, the Raptors indeed saw Leonard leave. He joined the LA Clippers in a reported three-year, $103.1 million max contract.
Although there were tons of "What-Ifs" about Leonard, Toronto can't be more grateful for the superstar and that unforgettable one-year ride he gave to carry the franchise to the NBA's mountaintop.
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