Wednesday 26 June 2019 08:34, UK
Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri is confident of resigning Kawhi Leonard after having "very good meetings" with the NBA Finals MVP over the past week.
Leonard, who led the Raptors to their first NBA championship earlier in June, is days away from becoming a free agent, with the window set to open on Sunday.
The Southern California native has been heavily linked with a move to the Los Angeles Clippers, with recent reports claiming he has scheduled a July 2nd meeting with the franchise.
However, speaking at a season-ending news conference on Tuesday, Ujiri said he had "very good meetings with him the last few days" but declined to elaborate.
Wherever Leonard, who turns 28 on Saturday, chooses to sign, the Raptors "will respect his decision," Ujiri said.
One person staying put with the Raptors is Ujiri. Other teams expressed an interest in him - the Washington Wizards reportedly were set to make him a lucrative offer to run the team - but he said he is happy in Toronto.
"For me it's always been about Toronto," he said. "I love it here, my family loves it here, my wife loves it here.
"For me the blessing is being wanted here and finding a place that makes you happy and finding challenges that really make you grow as a person. And this place has made me grow as a person and I identify with this place and I love it, so in my mind I'm here."
