Jeremy Lin has already been around one Kawhi Leonard-led Raptors team. He knows what Leonard can bring to a locker room because he lived it.
When Leonard arrived in Toronto during the 2018-19 season, the Raptors were already a good team. However, they needed someone who could take over when the games mattered most. Leonard did exactly that, leading Toronto to its first NBA championship.
Now, with the Raptors trying to bring Leonard back, Lin believes the same type of change could happen again.
Lin was part of that championship group and saw how much Leonard’s presence changed the team. “He makes everybody’s lives easier,” Lin said. “Because Kawhi is on the floor, everyone else’s shots will be easier. Everyone will get cleaner looks. Everyone’s drives to the basket will be easy.”
The Raptors’ pursuit of Leonard is currently on hold while the NBA investigates allegations that the Los Angeles Clippers circumvented the salary cap through an endorsement arrangement involving Leonard and the now-bankrupt company Aspiration.
Lin said he has no information on how the investigation will play out, but he hopes everything gets cleared up. “I hope it happens. I hope it’s all clear with the investigation,” Lin said. “Him ending his career in Toronto would be the best ending for him.”
Lin believes Toronto would become the type of team nobody wants to deal with in the playoffs.“I think with a Kawhi, I think they’re the dark horse,” Lin said. “Miami and Toronto are kind of two teams I don’t really want to see in the playoffs,” he added. “They could do anything. They could go very far.”
Lin’s confidence comes from what he saw during Toronto’s title run. “He can single-handedly win you games,” Lin said. “He can single-handedly defend and stop the other team’s best players.”