Kawhi Leonard was warmly welcomed by fans as he returned to play for the Toronto Raptors in a pre-season game against the New York Knicks. This marked his first appearance for the Raptors since being traded back from the Los Angeles Clippers in the recent off-season.
Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic expressed the importance of integrating Leonard back into the team despite his limited minutes. The coach highlighted the significance of Leonard’s return to the home court in Toronto, emphasizing the excitement among the team and fans.
Having previously led the Raptors to an NBA championship in the 2018-19 season, Leonard later joined the Clippers before being traded back to Toronto due to an NBA investigation involving salary cap issues. The trade, which included several players and draft picks, was finalized after the league’s investigation concluded.
Leonard’s return to the Raptors was seen as a positive development, with the team focusing on helping him enjoy the game rather than overwhelming him with technicalities. The New York Knicks, the defending NBA champions, were looking for their first pre-season win, while the Raptors had one win out of two pre-season games leading up to the match against the Knicks.
Toronto’s upcoming schedule includes more pre-season games before their home opener against the Chicago Bulls on October 21.
