The man who led the Raptors to their first and only NBA championship — so far — is coming back to town after a blockbuster trade between Toronto and the L.A. Clippers was reportedly agreed upon on Tuesday.
Kawhi Leonard will return north of the border after spending the past seven years in Los Angeles, following his one spectacular season with the Raptors.
ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported that Toronto would send all-star forward Brandon Ingram, 2023’s No. 13 overall selection Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks, a pick-swap option and two second-round picks to Los Angeles in exchange for Leonard.
Amazon’s Chris Haynes then reported Leonard and the Raptors will soon “engage to structure out the terms on a two-year extension to lock up the future Hall of Famer through the 2028-29 season, sources say.”
The deal is unlikely to become official until the NBA’s moratorium period ends on July 6. Leonard can then ink a two-year extension worth roughly $125 million, adding to the $50.3 million he’s due in 2026-27.
The blockbuster return sent social media into a frenzy, with Raptors fans equally stunned and in celebration of the move.
What were the best reactions?
Raptors superfan Nav Bhatia was overjoyed to see Leonard return, saying that Kawhi “shouldn’t have left in the first place.”
Major League Baseball’s official X account shared a clip of Leonard attending a Blue Jays game at Rogers Centre shortly after winning the NBA Finals MVP.
The clip of Leonard’s legendary game-winning shot against the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2019 Eastern Conference playoffs also seemingly was on loop on social media.
Many fans also posted Leonard’s introductory press conference from 2018, when he went viral after fans heard him laugh for seemingly the first time ever.
What were the funniest reactions?
Many other fans on social media were quick to joke about Leonard heading north of the border once again, especially after leaving Toronto on awkward terms.
After being traded north of the border by San Antonio, Leonard reportedly told teammates that he had no intention of re-signing with the Raptors, regardless of how the season went.
One user posted a reference to the iconic sitcom Seinfeld, when the character George showed up to work for a job that he recently quit after coming to regret the decision.
One user posted a clip of Leonard breaking into a smile with the caption: “Kawhi finding out those Shoppers Optimum points are still good.”
A video of one Raptors fan offering a potted tree as a “house-warming gift” for Kawhi during the wild championship celebrations resurfaced, with many asking if the man still had the gift for the hoops star now that he’s coming back.
Another common theme was Leonard “fleeing the country” as he remains entangled in a scandal involving potentially illegal, under-the-table payments from the Clippers, also involving climate change company Aspiration, a former team sponsor.
There were plenty of references to the incredible events in Toronto and Canadian sports over the past week or so — with the Blue Jays being the exception.
Another fan referenced Justin Bieber’s awkward appearance at the NHL draft last week, when he stumbled over his lines while announcing Gavin McKenna as the Maple Leafs’ pick first overall.
“Mr. Leonard, we’d like to trade for you and bring you back to Toronto,” one user wrote along with a picture of the polarizing singer.
While Gradey Dick perhaps turned out better at producing memes than on-court moments, several fans also pointed out one thing that they won’t be missing about him.
“Best part of the Kawhi re-acquisition by the Raptors? We never have to see the Dick/T-Mac shaving commercial again,” one user wrote on X, referencing the shooter’s Gillette ad. “Who shaves for practice?”