Moving to Toronto in 2018-2019 for an unforgettable season punctuated by a superb title, Kawhi Leonard then crossed North America to land in Los Angeles. And if the Raps dream of reuniting next summer, it’s very compromised… for a funny reason.
In summer 2019, Kawhi Leonard was at the top of his game. The winger had just led the Raptors to an unexpected coronation, winning his 2nd ring and his 2nd MVP of the Finals with 2 different franchises. Observers rushed to the sets to dub him “the best player in the world”, but he had only one thing in mind: to go home.
It was therefore at the Clippers that he made his home, without ever defending his title with Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet and the whole clique. By next summer, Leonard could be a free agent if things go wrong in Los Angeles, and the Raptors will be there.
The Athletic indeed teaches us that in such an eventuality, the Canadian franchise would be ready to do everything to bring the former Spurs back to the other side of the border. But things are compromised by … the weather:
Everything seems lined up for Leonard to stay in Los Angeles in the summer of 2021, but the other teams will still be making phone calls. Toronto dreams of a reunion, but it’s unlikely unless global warming suddenly accelerates. The Knicks and the Heat will be there too.
Weather. There he is, the Raptors’ worst enemy. A child of California, Kawhi Leonard likes to be warm, and the climate of Canada overwhelms him.
During his season there, already, the weather was a constant worry for the player, eager to find the sun which is dear to him. What’s cruel is that this is the only parameter the Canadian franchise can do absolutely nothing against – even if it has relocated to Florida for this season!
Difficult, therefore, to imagine a return in these conditions. Recall that Leonard had been traded to Toronto, and that he had not chosen to sign there on his own. Fortunately for him and the fans of the Dinos, he made good use of his time by becoming a legend in the space of just one season.
The Raptors are monitoring the Kawhi Leonard record and dreaming of a comeback, but the weather serves as the Clippers’ best defenseman. It’s hard, but that’s how it is …
