Will Kawhi Leonard's season make him a Toronto star or secure a move to LA?
Watch Boston Celtics @ Toronto Raptors live on Sky Sports Arena, Saturday 1am
Friday 19 October 2018 23:44, UK
Ahead of the Sky Sports clash between two of the Eastern Conference favourites, the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics, we take a look at Toronto's main off-season acquisition, Kawhi Leonard, who is looking to get back to his best after a season of off-court issues and controversy.
Drafted as the 15th overall pick in 2011 out of San Diego State by the Indiana Pacers, Leonard - nicknamed 'The Claw' because of his large hands - was traded on draft night to the San Antonio Spurs.
A quiet person, whose awkward laugh at a media event became a minor internet sensation this off-season, Leonard prefers to make his presence known between the lines rather than outside.
After landing on one of the best rosters in the league - albeit in a small market - with one of the best coaches in NBA history in charge in Gregg Popovich, Leonard quickly found his feet under the tutelage of some future Hall of Fame team-mates.
Despite the presence of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, it was Leonard who was named Finals MVP as the Spurs won the NBA Championship in 2014.
Going from strength to strength, he led the Spurs in both points per game and steals per game from 2014-17, showing his ability to lead an offensive unit, while also often being tasked with defending the best attacking player on the opposing side, as he did to such great effect against LeBron James in those 2014 Finals.
Leonard became the centrepiece of the Spurs roster and won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2015 and 2016. He also made the All-NBA first team, highlighting him as one of the five best players in the league, for two consecutive seasons.
But trouble appeared to begin to brew between the Spurs and Leonard last season, during which he played only nine games due to injury. His last appearance was in January, followed by an apparent refusal to make himself available to play, when team insiders reportedly felt that he was able to do so.
It was even reported that there was a Spurs players-only meeting in which team-mates "implored" Leonard to play. The meeting was said to be "tense and emotional" and veteran Parker was apparently in charge.
However, rumours also began to swirl that Leonard was looking for a way out of San Antonio, with some sources claiming that he had his heart set on a move to his hometown of Los Angeles. During the off-season, though, San Antonio struck a blow to these hopes, trading Leonard to the northernmost team in the NBA, Toronto, to play with the Raptors, while acquiring All-Star guard Demar DeRozan in the process.
So where does this leave Leonard now?
He currently has two years left on his contract, however he has a player option at the end of this year, meaning that he can seek a move elsewhere. If the rumours are to be believed, we can expect Leonard to favour a return to the West Coast, to play for one of the Los Angeles franchises, with reports suggesting the Clippers may be his preferred destination.
For their part, Toronto will be hoping that they can win him over and convince him to stay. With the prospect of an Eastern Conference without the dominant force of James, along with the fact that Toronto have amassed more regular season wins than any other team in the East in the last five years, the Raptors will hope that Leonard is the missing piece of the puzzle as they look to make the NBA Finals for the first time.
One thing is for sure; following a long layoff from the game, Leonard will need to convince the league that he is the player that he once was, should he hope to rebuild his brand as a star, and attract suitors come the off-season.
NBA general managers will certainly be monitoring his progress with interest for any signs of lasting damage from his protracted injury absence.
With this in mind, expect to see a concerted effort from the LA native throughout the year to showcase his talents, which just could go hand-in-hand with an Eastern Conference Championship charge for Toronto.
If Toronto are able to conquer the East with Leonard at the forefront of the action, a feat which will likely mean bypassing a hugely talented Boston Celtics team in the process, who knows what the future may hold for 'The Claw'.
Will he be able to resist the lure of a return home and a possible place in the same town as James, in favour of the support of a nation in Canada? We'll find out on Saturday.
Watch Leonard in action on Saturday morning from 1am on Sky Sports Arena and Main Event when Toronto host Boston.
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