The trade hasn’t even gone through yet, and Scottie Barnes is already imagining the damage.
Toronto Raptors players are getting ahead of themselves a little bit, but it’s hard to blame them. The team is reportedly working on a blockbuster deal to bring Kawhi Leonard back to Canada, and the two-time Finals MVP’s potential arrival has the current roster buzzing.
During NBA Summer League action on Friday, Barnes was asked what a Raptors team featuring both him and Leonard might look like on the defensive end. His answer was blunt and a little bit menacing.
“Seems very dangerous. We got people everywhere on the floor, every position, that’s ready to guard. We’re trying to take candy from a baby, essentially,” Barnes said, via Underdog NBA on X. “We know what Kawhi can do out there. Being able to score the ball, guard the ball, steals, active, he’s going to fit right in.”
That’s the kind of quote that gets passed around a locker room. And honestly, it’s not hard to see why Barnes is excited.
What the Raptors are giving up
According to reports, the proposed deal would send Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2027 first-round pick swap, and two second-round selections to the Los Angeles Clippers. That’s a hefty package for a player who has struggled to stay on the court in recent years.
But when Leonard is healthy, he changes everything. The Raptors know that better than anyone. He was the difference-maker in 2019, the guy who put them over the top and delivered the franchise’s only championship. The front office is betting that version of Leonard still exists somewhere.
The catch is that none of this is official yet. The NBA is still investigating potential cap circumvention involving Leonard and the Clippers organization. Until that wraps up, Toronto can’t formally execute the trade. So for now, it’s all hypotheticals and daydreaming.
Defensive nightmares ahead
Barnes is already an All-Defensive level player. He’s long, versatile, and clearly thinks the game at a high level on that end. Adding Leonard, even a slightly diminished version, gives Toronto two wings who can guard just about anyone on the floor. Leonard isn’t the lockdown guy he was five years ago, but he’s still a smart, active team defender who can lock in when it matters.
Pair those two with Jakob Poeltl protecting the rim, and suddenly the Raptors look like a team nobody wants to face in a seven-game series. They’ve been stuck in the middle of the Eastern Conference for a while now, good enough to make the play-in but not threatening anyone seriously. Leonard changes that ceiling.
The obvious question is health. Leonard has played more than 60 games in a season just once since leaving Toronto. The Raptors are essentially betting their future on his body holding up. If it works, they’re a contender. If it doesn’t, they just gave away a pile of assets for a part-time player.
Barnes is focused on the upside. And for now, that’s all the Raptors have to hold onto.
Leave a Comment