Raptors' Kawhi Leonard has clear endgame goal with Toronto after $115M contract extension

Raptors’ Kawhi Leonard has clear endgame goal with Toronto after $115M contract extension originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Toronto Raptors are attempting to get back into title contention over the next few years. The team was able to make a trade for two-time NBA champion Kawhi Leonard, but it took months for the deal to become official.

The Raptors are hoping he can bring the same amount of success that he did during his one year in Toronto. He has made it clear that he is not chasing championships, but Toronto is somewhere that his family truly valued.

“I’m not really championship chasing. … I didn’t want to put on a thousand jerseys,” Leonard said. “This city took a liking to my family, and I took a liking to this city. I really liked it. My son was born here, and he’s been asking me forever when he’s going to come back. Now he’s back, and he’s able to see it rather than me tell him the great stories that happened.”

On Tuesday, the Raptors and Leonard agreed to a contract extension.

“Toronto Raptors All-NBA star Kawhi Leonard has agreed on a two-year, $115 million contract extension with the franchise, plus a player option for the 2028-29 season, his agent Harrison Gaines of SLASH Sports tells ESPN,” ESPN’s Shams Charania posted.

The discussions have been ongoing since July, when the trade was first made. Leonard has expressed a desire to retire as a Raptor, showing that his return to Toronto could have one clear goal in mind: ending his career with the organization.

“Both sides maintained consistent dialogue on Leonard’s long-term Raptors future since July after the reunion via trade — and the two-time Finals MVP expects to finish his career in Toronto. Leonard, 35, now has a total of three years and $165 million on his Raptors deal,” Charania wrote.

It is safe to say that Leonard’s one year in Toronto left a lasting impact on him, to the point that he now wants to end his career with the team. The Raptors trading players like Grady Dick and Brandon Ingram may have been part of building toward this new era around Leonard.

If Toronto continues to build around Leonard, he could have a chance to win his third NBA championship by the time it is all said and done. The two sides will be together for at least the next three seasons, and if Leonard decides to play beyond that, it could very likely be even longer.

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