Raptors were confident Leonard deal would go ahead

Toronto Raptors general manager Bobby Webster stated the team was always confident their acquisition of forward Kawhi Leonard from the Los Angeles Clippers would succeed. Toronto initially acquired Leonard in June, but the trade was finalized earlier this month after an NBA investigation into salary-cap circumvention. Leonard subsequently signed a two-year contract extension with Toronto on Wednesday.

Webster noted that the organization felt confident in their due diligence throughout the process. Leonard, who previously helped lead Toronto to an NBA championship in 2019, averaged 27.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game with the Clippers last season.