The Toronto Raptors are NBA Champions.
Led by All-Star, Kawhi Leonard, now a two-time NBA Champion and two-time NBA Finals MVP, the Raptors are the first non-American team to in an NBA Championship.
That’s great!
But their skill is what won it!
Dwight Howard believes that intel is what got it done for the Raptors.
Toronto Raptors are beating Golden State because the Raptors added players on their roster who have beaten the Warriors in the past like Spurs & Grizzlies, @DwightHoward tells me. pic.twitter.com/U5ACsL0usk
— Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) June 11, 2019
“They have a lot of guys, who have been on teams that went to championships and went deep in the playoffs ,” Dwight Howard told Scoop B Radio during the red carpet of the Shaft movie premiere on Monday.
“I think that experience has really helped them in this series. If you look at the roster of Toronto, they basically have every team that has beat Golden State. They got Memphis; they beat them during the Playoffs. They have San Antonio, and they got Oklahoma City. So, they have three teams, who have competed against Golden State. So, I think all that knowledge that they learned from playing against Golden State over the years, they put it together with what Toronto is doing and they are killing.”
What’s next for the Raptors? Likely trying to re-sign Kawhi Leonard. Will he stay North of the Border or go elsewhere?
Leonard won an NBA Championship with the Toronto Raptors, so Toronto has some bit of seniority. You’d think, right?
Per SB Nation’s Kristian Winfield:
Leonard has made no public comments about his long-term commitment to the Raptors organization or the city of Toronto. There was a report he had purchased a home out north. He responded, “Didn’t happen yet. No.” When he was asked what winning a championship could mean for the city of Toronto, Leonard replied: “I’m really not sure. I guess you’ve gotta ask somebody on the street or one of our fans … or somebody that’s been living in Canada for awhile.”
The Toronto Raptors own Leonard’s Bird rights and can offer him a five-year, $189.6 million deal.
Per USA Today’s Jeff Zillgit: Other teams can offer a four-year deal worth $140.6 million. Leonard can also negotiate a shorter contract, too, and it may not be about the most money, either. Lifestyle, coach, front office, teammates and city also can play a role in a free agent’s decision.
ESPN’s Damon Jones hinted on Get Up this morning that the Lakers are targeting him.
https://twitter.com/LakeShowWorld/status/1140603382983352320
Per my report via Basketball Society on May 20th: Per league sources, here are the scenarios that the Lakers are considering:
1. Kawhi Leonard (max) and Anthony (trade)
2. Kawhi Leonard (max) and Bradley Beal (trade)
3. Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving (max) – Toronto would have to sign and trade Kawhi to us in this scenario
4. Kyrie Irving (max) and Anthony Davis (trade)
