The Klaw set to make redemption story; Best Player in basketball?

Kawhi Leonard has a chance to lead the Toronto Raptors to the team’s first NBA championship in their first finals appearance.

The Warriors are a betting favorite, so for Leonard and the Raptors to win would be monumental for the budding superstar’s resume. And to do it against the team that took him out in his last playoff appearance would be the icing on the cake.

But how did we get here? A growing distrust with his previous organization, the San Antonio Spurs over his quad injury that set him out a season and followed the trade made 10 months ago that would shape both the Spurs and Raptors for years to come. After rumors of Leonard wanting to seek grander pastures in LA, the Spurs were forced to trade Leonard to the Raptors on what is essentially a one year deal with Leonard set to become a free agent this Summer. And so far that deal has paid off.

Days after the team’s win Milwaukee, Leonard’s uncle Dennis Robertson spoke to Yahoo’s Chris Haynes about his decision to leave the world-class organization.

“I think it just became a lack of trust,” Robertson told Yahoo Sports. “They didn’t believe Kawhi couldn’t play and that caused a lack of trust in us and then us not believing in them. Any time a player says he’s not capable of playing, you should believe him. Why would Kawhi just stop playing all of a sudden? He’s a competitor. Sometimes you get these team doctors telling you what you can and cannot do, and Kawhi was just in too much pain to get out there. This was a serious issue. They didn’t believe him, and after that, the relationship couldn’t recover and we decided we had to move on.”

As noted it wasn’t an easy break-up between Leonard and the Spurs, after the Spurs organization and players talked about Leonard and his injury. Many people in the organization felt Leonard had given up on the team and wanted out. During the 2018 season, Gregg Popovich let his team host a player’s only meeting where they questioned the extent of his injury and urged him to play, something Leonard and his camp would obviously be upset about. Later, it was made aware that Leonard wanted out of San Antonio and then all hell broke loose. Spurs legend and former teammate Tony Parker went in front of the camera saying the similar quad injury he had sustained was ‘one hundred times worse’ than Leonard’s. Then there were reports that the Spurs organization had problems with Leonard’s uncle and agent Robertson being seen as tempting his client towards LA. This was all before coach Popovich went to have dinner with Leonard in one last attempt to get his star to stay but was told by that he wanted out.

The media during that time seemingly sided with the reputation of Spurs organization led by Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford. Spurs legend David Robertson went public with his comments about Leonard, saying he was ghosted by him. This didn’t help the reputation of this young star who is known for saying little. He didn’t speak much about the situation and this let the Spurs be able to turn this media circus in their favor. We were made to believe that he indeed had given up on them. The Spurs made the trade for DeMar Derozan and went on about business, always competing as Pop coached on his best seasons with the talent he had as Toronto dealt with Leonard who sat 22-games due to “load management.”

All the while the Raptors had a spectacular season again under new head coach Nick Nurse with Leonard setting games out. But it was the playoffs that showed Leonard’s worth and his incredible play. Battling with two powerhouse teams in the 76ers and Bucks and having all-world performances including a game-winner in Game 7 versus the 76ers. In both series, they were looked at as underdogs to superior teams but all Toronto did was go about the business of playing excellent basketball with Leonard at the helm. And now he has his team in their first ever finals appearance in team history.

Now, who looks worse, the Spurs or Kawhi? With Mr. Robertson coming out with his comments to Yahoo it seems like Leonard just needed time to get fully healthy and now it is all paying off for the Raptors who should have a compelling series with the Warriors. Taking down the potential MVP in Giannis and the best starting five in the East in the Sixers, Leonard has just been unstoppable, a cyborg and doing it very efficiently. Stephen A. of ESPN’s First Take went on his television show saying that it was “not a good look” for the world-class organization. The full debate can be watched from this clip per ESPN:

Now’s the question should be what is Leonard’s rank if he prevents the Warriors three-peat plans. During these playoffs, he has already got comparisons to Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan but people still see him under the likes of LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Although I believe he is the best in the game, with a strong performance in this series he will surely turn heads in his favor and secure that title.

We just might be entering the Kawhi Era.