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Many fans like the Toronto Raptors‘ chances for next season after the Kawhi Leonard trade was finally completed. Leonard returns to the team that he led to the 2019 NBA title and joins forces with superstar Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett in what they say is now a very competitive team in the Eastern Conference.
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However, former Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas isn’t particularly excited about Kawhi’s return. According to Arenas, Leonard is just a replacement for the guy he was traded for – Brandon Ingram, who was the Raptors’ leading scorer last year.
“The only thing that has changed is the illusion of a 35-year-old guy who’s been injured most of the time, that’s going to come there for a year or two, and you traded all your young pieces with all your young pieces. So the future of your team is with the Clippers now,”
Toronto gave away its future for two years with a 35-year-old Kawhi
Arenas explained that the Raptors’ offense last season was centered around Ingram. It was Ingram who created the offense and when he got double-teamed, he kicked out to Barnes or Barrett. Gil says that’s the same thing that’s going to happen with Leonard on board and Toronto’s chances will depend on whether Scottie and RJ can knock down those open shots.
But not only did the Raptors replace Ingram with an older Leonard, but they also traded away Gradey Dick, two future first-round picks, one first-round pick swap and two second-rounders. Arenas said, ” That’s basically surrendering your future for an aging star.
“You got him for a year or two, and he’s gone,” Gil added. “Now what do you got? Nothing. I thought that he came there, added to those guys, he can teach those guys how to be great, and they can move on. But the fact that you got rid of three, four young people, that’s gonna build with Scottie Barnes, that’s going to need the needle together, to bring a 35-year-old- what you doing with him? He’s gone; you rebuilding next year?”
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Does Kawhi still have the same hunger?
With all due respect to Leonard, he is coming off a Year 14 where he averaged a career-high 27.9 points per game and made the All-NBA second team. However, since leading Toronto to the 2019 NBA title, he has made it past the second round only once and is now already 35 years old.
And based on what he said in his first interview as a Raptor – again, he didn’t sound as hungry as he was 8 years ago.
“I’m not really championship chasing, trying to find the best team I could win. You know, I didn’t want to put on a thousand jerseys, and, you know, the city took a liking to my family. I took a liking to the city. Really enjoyed it. My son was born here, and, you know, he’s been asking me forever when he’s going to come back,” Kawhi said.
There’s no question Leonard was the best player in the league in 2019 and leading the Raptors to the title is proof of that. However, a lot has changed since then, perhaps even Kawhi’s motivation.
Related: Shams Charania on why Kawhi Leonard pushed for a return to Toronto: “This is a complete legacy play”
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This story was originally published September 17, 2026 at 3:52 AM.