Masai Ujiri Thanks Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green After Raptors Lose Both in FA
Saturday was a tough day for the Toronto Raptors.
Superstar Kawhi Leonard chose to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday following the team's trade for Paul George, while Danny Green agreed to join the Los Angeles Lakers.
Despite losing two key players from their 2018-19 title-winning team, Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri released a statement thanking both for their time in Toronto.
"We are very thankful for the year that Kawhi and Danny played with us here in Toronto, and I know the city and the entire country of Canada are grateful for everything they did to help us win our first NBA Championship. On behalf of the Raptors, I say a very heartfelt thank you to Kawhi and Danny, and we send them and their families nothing but good wishes. As an organization, the Raptors will focus on the future and continue our pursuit of a second championship."
Leonard chose to sign with the Clippers after they reportedly sent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, their own unprotected first-round picks in 2022, 2024 and 2026 picks, Miami's unprotected first-rounder pick in 2021, a protected 2023 first-rounder and pick-swap rights in 2023 and 2025 to the Thunder in exchange for George, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Woj also reported that the Raptors were engaged in trade talks with the Thunder to land George, though those talks didn't go anywhere:
"[OKC general manager Sam Presti] had been willing to pursue a package of Russell Westbrook and George to the Raptors, but no talks ever gained traction, sources said. Ujiri and Raptors GM Bobby Webster had no ability, nor inclination, to counter the Clippers' offer with a multitude of first-round picks into the middle of next decade, league sources said.
Bruce Arthur of the Toronto Star tweeted that "Oklahoma City asked for Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and four unprotected first-round picks as a starting point for Paul George. The Raptors believed they were being used as leverage, and believed Kawhi finally, truly wanted LA. And then he left."
So the Raptors move on in a post-Kawhi world.
The team has two options: Make a playoff push with the current roster or field offers for veterans. A core of Kyle Lowry, Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, Siakam, VanVleet and OG Anunoby would likely make the playoffs in the East, but with Lowry, Gasol, Ibaka and VanVleet all hitting free agency after the 2019-20 season and Siakam becoming a restricted free agency, the Raptors could lose key contributors without getting anything in return.
The young group of Siakam, VanVleet and Anunoby alongside draft assets would give Toronto a promising future, though Ujiri may be reluctant to further break up a winning team so soon after the Raptors won their first NBA title.
In both scenarios, the Raptors are looking at a rebuild. It's just a matter of when Ujiri chooses to begin that process.
