Raptors’ Odds of Signing Kawhi Leonard Improve as Toronto Closes in on First NBA Championship
By Robert Duff in NBA Basketball
Updated: April 22, 2020 at 10:08 am EDTPublished:
- The Toronto Raptors are now the odds-on favorite to sign forward Kawhi Leonard
- The Raptors star is set to become a free agent at the end of the season
- Toronto is one win away from its first NBA Championship
They say in the sports world that winning solves every problem, and the Toronto Raptors can only hope that Kawhi Leonard is a supporter of that notion.
The Raptors are one win away from their first NBA title. That could also mean they are a game away from the end of Leonard’s tenure in Toronto.
An impending unrestricted free agent, the sportsbooks have changed their opinion regarding Leonard’s future. He was rumored most of the season to be headed elsewhere for the 2019-20 NBA campaign. But books are offering odds of -175 that Kawhi stays in Toronto and signs a new contract with the Raptors.
Kawhi Leonard Free Agency Odds
| Which Team Will Kawhi Leonard Be on for Game 1 of the 2019-20 Season? | Odds |
|---|---|
| Toronto Raptors | -175 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | +100 |
| New York Knicks | +300 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +600 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +800 |
| Field (Any Other Team) | +300 |
*Odds taken on 06/12/19
Leonard was -110 to stay in Toronto as recently as May 27th. The Raptors acquired him last summer from the San Antonio Spurs.
Will Success Bring Leonard Contentment?
The early-season prognosis was that Kawhi would be one-and-done as a Raptor. He’s said very little about his future, preferring to focus on what he’s doing on the court.
There was speculation on social media that Leonard had purchased a house in Toronto. One site even posted a home, claiming it to be the one.
Leonard later quashed those rumors.
Nonetheless, the fact of the matter is that Leonard looks at home with the Raptors. He is their go-to guy, the superstar making clutch game-winning shots and leading them to places the franchise has never been before.
Why would anyone want to bolt from that comfort zone?
Knicks Rumors Resurface
There’s been plenty of talk connecting Leonard to the New York Knicks. As recently as two days ago, that speculation resurfaced again.
.@criscarter80: the Knicks have a real shot to land Kawhi and KD 👀 pic.twitter.com/lAwbq9nTr2
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) June 10, 2019
ESPN analyst Cris Carter suggested there’s a real chance that Leonard and fellow free agent Kevin Durant of Golden State would combine next season to give New York a dynamite 1-2 punch at forward. Carter is reportedly represented by the same agency as Leonard.
The Knicks plan on aggressively pursuing Kawhi Leonard this summer, per @IanBegley. pic.twitter.com/M7Z889JO6a
— Ball Don’t Lie (@Balldontlie) June 12, 2019
The suggestion is that the Knicks will be aggressively pursuing Leonard. But all this talk surfaced prior to Durant rupturing his Achilles tendon in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers are other teams frequently connected to Leonard rumors.
Heck No, Kawhi Won’t Go
Think about sports history. Consider star players in the prime of their careers who’ve just led their club to a title.
Can you recall any of them suddenly bolting to another team?
In a matter of days, Leonard could be holding the Larry O’Brien Trophy and winning his second NBA Finals MVP. Do you honestly think he’ll be leaving the Associations’ best team?
Kawhi isn’t going anywhere.
Pick: Toronto Raptors (-175)
Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
