In the summertime of 2018, all eyes had been on then-San Antonio Spurs famous person Kawhi Leonard.
After being chosen because the fifteenth general choose within the 2011 NBA Draft, Kawhi Leonard slowly however certainly rose to stardom on the San Antonio Spurs.
Regardless of profitable an NBA Championship and a number of other particular person accolades, in the summertime of 2018, Leonard was prepared to maneuver on from the Spurs.
As we all know, Leonard finally was traded to the Toronto Raptors on July 18, 2018, however earlier than the transfer, there have been a plethora of rumors concerning the Klaw contemplating a transfer to the LA Lakers.
NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith has all the time shared his opinion on the highest stars within the league, together with Leonard.
Be it blaming Leonard for the LA Clippers dropping Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or discussing the 2x NBA champion’s free company choices, Smith has all the time had an opinion.
Talking of Leonard’s discourse with the Spurs in 2018, Stephen A. reported that the gifted ahead was prepared to sit down out all the 2018-19 NBA season.
“Based on a few different executives, due to the persona of Kawhi Leonard and what transpired final season, they stated to me don’t rule out the potential for Kawhi Leonard sitting out subsequent season earlier than he’s prepared to return again to the San Antonio Spurs,” Smith stated on ESPN in 2018.
“That’s how badly he needs out. That’s how badly he needs to stay in LA, and that’s the state of affairs. That’s the information I’ve,” he added.
Upon being requested what Smith’s ideas had been on the supposed ‘poisonous’ technique, the ESPN knowledgeable gave an explosive reply.
“If he employed that technique, it will be extremely unprofessional, extremely unfair, and simply trifling on the a part of Kawhi Leonard,” Smith acknowledged.
In actuality, neither Leonard sat out the season nor did he pressure a transfer to the Lakers. As a substitute, Leonard and Danny Inexperienced had been traded to the Raptors in trade for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl, and a 2019 first-round choose.
On the time, many seemed down on the commerce, however the Klaw proved his critics unsuitable. He averaged 26.6 factors, 7.3 rebounds, and three.3 assists per sport in the course of the common season.
However Leonard saved his finest type for the NBA Playoffs as he led the Raptors to their first-ever NBA Championship in franchise historical past.
He was by far the most effective participant on the Raptors’ 2019 NBA Championship-winning roster. After all, Leonard left the Raptors within the offseason, becoming a member of the Clippers, the place he has already spent six years.
Nearly as good as Kawhi was throughout his sole season in Canada, the Clippers have by no means witnessed that model of the 34-year-old because of a plethora of damage setbacks all through his stint in LA.
