The Toronto Raptors just pulled off a trade that nobody saw coming a month ago. Kawhi Leonard is coming back. In exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and a pile of draft picks, the Raptors got the guy who carried them to their only championship in 2019. The Clippers had made it clear for weeks they weren’t giving Leonard an extension. Toronto was the only team he wanted to go to.
That 2019 run feels like a lifetime ago. Leonard left for LA right after, won nothing there, spent most of his time injured, and now he’s back in a city that still loves him. The hope is that the guy who looked unstoppable against the Warriors can find that form again. And honestly, the roster around him in Toronto is better now than it was then. Scottie Barnes is a legit star. Immanuel Quickley can run an offense. RJ Barrett is a bucket. But there are still holes.
The Raptors need to make at least one more move if they want to actually contend. Here’s what they should do.
Trade for Domantas Sabonis
The Sabonis rumors have been floating around since last season’s trade deadline. The Raptors reportedly had interest then, and now that they’re going all-in with Leonard, that interest makes even more sense. Sabonis is a big who can pass, rebound, and score in the post. He’d be a massive upgrade at center over Jakob Poeltl, who the Raptors have been trying to move off his contract for a while.
Poeltl is solid. Sabonis is a three-time All-Star. He gives you playmaking in the halfcourt that Toronto desperately needs when Leonard gets doubled. The Kings might ask for more than just Poeltl and a pick, but the Raptors have enough young pieces and future draft capital to make it work. If Masai Ujiri is serious about this window, he picks up the phone.
Sign Anfernee Simons as a Free Agent
If trading for Sabonis costs too much, there’s a cheaper option that still moves the needle. Anfernee Simons is a free agent who can score from anywhere. The Raptors need another guard who can create his own shot, especially late in the shot clock. When Leonard was in Toronto the first time, he had Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell beside him. Those guys could score and defend. Simons is a better scorer than either of them, even if his defense isn’t as sharp.
Simons has proven he can carry scoring stretches when he’s hot. He’d take pressure off Leonard and Barnes in the halfcourt and give the second unit a real punch. The Raptors have cap space if they clear a few smaller contracts. It’s not a splashy move, but it fits.
Leonard is 33 now and he’s not the same guy he was in 2019. But the Raptors don’t need him to be Superman. They just need him to be the closer. One more big move could make that work.
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