A one-and-done season is what many expected from Kawhi Leonard with the Raptors this season. And that mindset stayed even when Toronto went all the way to the NBA Finals.
But should it change after the latest tidbit of news that surfaced about the small forward?
It was reported during a Toronto morning show with host Michael Landsberg, with a contributing report from TrueHoop.com's David Thorpe, that Leonard had just purchased a new property in the city.
"Everyone that I've talked to and is connected to his group agree the Raptors have done what they needed to do (to sign Leonard)," Thorpe explained. "That doesn't mean he can't change his mind, of course he can, but as it stands today it's hard to imagine that he would go somewhere else."
Leonard would certainly be on the Knicks' list of free agents to target when July 1 comes around. But, as Thorpe noted, the Raptors have done everything needed to get a leg up on other teams looking to bring his talents to their city. Toronto making the Finals is definitely a plus, but with the emergence of players like Pascal Siakim and Fred VanVleet, they have a solid team to want to be a part of.
The 27-year-old Leonard also had a career year with the Raptors before the playoffs began. He averaged a career-high 26.6 points and 7.3 rebounds, while tallying 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game. And this all came while averaging 34 minutes on the floor -- another career-high.
Leading by example on the court, Leonard has been embraced as "the guy" for the Raptors, and the city has embraced him as such. Still, teams like the Knicks and Clippers will be going after him hard.
But, if the reports are true, Leonard purchasing a new property in Toronto could mean he is ready to keep his roots planted over the border for the near future.