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'He Means Business' -- NBA World Reacts to Kawhi Leonard's Surprise Appearance at Raptors' Summer League Game
Kawhi Leonard’s highly anticipated return to the Toronto Raptors has been put on hold, but that didn’t stop the superstar forward from making a surprise NBA Summer League appearance to support his prospective new team.
The two-time NBA champion pulled up to the Raptors’ matchup against the Indiana Pacers on Monday, and while the game proved to be a thriller, Leonard’s presence generated the most buzz.
Kawhi Leonard’s NBA Summer League Sighting Fuels Raptors Optimism
Raptors fans received a jolt of nostalgia this offseason upon the news that Toronto intended to re-acquire Leonard in a blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Clippers, seven years after he led the franchise to its first-ever NBA championship.
The deal, which will send Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and extensive draft capital to LA, will reportedly “not be completed until the NBA investigation into whether the Clippers circumvented the salary cap is completed.” This comes as the Raptors don’t want to “assume the risk of penalties related to Kawhi’s contract that could theoretically result from the ongoing investigation.”
As such, Leonard’s courtside support in Las Vegas elicited a mix of surprise and optimism surrounding his impending second stint north of the border.
“Last time, Kawhi didn’t make his first public appearance as a Raptor until he had to, not a minute sooner: Media Day 2018 (Fun Guy!). Trade isn’t even official, and he’s already attended [Kyle] Lowry’s retirement presser + a Summer League game. No questioning his buy-in this time around,” TSN Raptors insider Josh Lewenberg reacted.
“If Kawhi is watching Summer League basketball, he means business,” Lewenberg added.
“Kawhi Watch came full circle lmao,” Raptors podcaster William Lou quipped.
“The Fun Guy, Kawhi Leonard, is at the Raptors-Pacers Summer League game today! His longtime teammate Danny Green believes the Raptors would automatically become contenders, a team that could reach the Eastern Conference finals,” Raptors analyst Omer Osman wrote.
“It’s funny with Kawhi because he has this natural mystique that surrounds him that’s only been enhanced with the uncertainty surrounding the trade/investigation. Seeing him outwardly engaging in Raptors events chips away at it ever so slightly, and it’s been so cool to see,” another user wrote.
Leonard was also spotted chatting with members of Toronto’s brass as the Raptors’ Summer League squad eked out a last-second 94-93 victory.
Once his move back to Toronto is finalized, Leonard is projected to become the immediate offensive focal point of the aspiring Eastern Conference contender, with two-way star forward Scottie Barnes and scoring wing RJ Barrett settling into complementary roles.
MORE:‘That Would Fill My Heart’ — Former Raptors Coach Yearns for DeMar DeRozan’s Return to Toronto
The Raptors are coming off a resurgent 46-win season in which they boasted a top-five defensive rating (112.1), with Leonard’s elite half-court scoring ability poised to push them into the upper echelon of the East.
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