Kawhi Leonard is officially back with the Toronto Raptors, signing a new two-year, $115 million contract that includes a player option for the 2028-29 season. Yeah, you read that right. His agent, Harrison Gaines, confirmed the massive deal to ESPN’s Shams Charania on Tuesday. This isn’t just a contract, it’s a statement, and the rest of the league needs to take notice.
The Wild Ride Back to Toronto
This whole saga started way back on June 30 when the Clippers agreed to ship Leonard to Toronto for a package featuring Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and a bunch of picks. But the NBA wasn’t having it initially, holding up the deal until September 14 while they dug into L.A. over some serious salary cap circumvention allegations. Talk about drama! Remember, Kawhi was on a monster three-year, $149.5 million deal with the Clips through 2026-27, so this new contract is a big shift, cementing his return after seven long years.
Is This Championship Kawhi?
Look, the Kawhi who just signed isn’t the same guy who brought Toronto their first and only championship. He’s older, battled injuries a lot recently, and he might not be the exact version that had one of the best regular seasons of his career before that legendary playoff run. We’re talking 30.5 points, 9.1 boards, and 1.7 steals per game en route to Finals MVP. But let’s not forget what he just did last season with the Clippers: 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 steals in 65 games. The dude is still elite when he’s healthy, no question. He’s still one of the best players in the league.
The Eastern Conference is absolutely stacked, but with Kawhi locked in for at least a few more seasons and paired up with Scottie Barnes, the Raptors are absolutely going to be in the mix. Toronto fans have to be buzzing about this commitment. This is a massive move from the Raptors, making it clear they’re ready to compete for real.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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