In right frame of mind

Ujiri not concerned about Leonard’s commitment to Raptors, saying he’s ‘happy’

Kawhi Leonard is happy and healthy, says Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri.

Leonard, the centrepiece of one of the NBA’S biggest off-season trades, has yet to address the Toronto media. But Ujiri talked about the two-time defensive player of the year on Tuesday, a week before the Raptors open training camp in Vancouver.

“Everything to me - he is determined and seems in the right frame of mind,” Ujiri said. “You will be hearing from him shortly. I think there is a fire inside of him and we are all excited about that.”

Ujiri swung the blockbuster deal - sending Demar Derozan, Jakob Poeltl and a draft pick to San Antonio for Leonard and Danny Green - while in Kenya with his Giants of Africa nonprofit organization.

While Leonard has publicly remained mum on the move, Ujiri said he’s not concerned about the 27-year-old’s commitment to Canada’s lone NBA franchise, saying Leonard worked out with Toronto’s coaches in Los Angeles, and has visited the city a couple of times.

First impressions of his newest acquisition? For one, he’ll rival OG Anunoby as the season’s quietest Raptor, Ujiri joked.

“Basketball person. Just loves the game,” he said. “Wants to play the game and very competitive. You can tell he is a very competitive kid. It’s about basketball. Once you just start to talk about basketball his eyes Leonard change.”

The team won’t be treating Leonard with kid gloves.

“There is nothing we are going to do different. We are going to be ourselves. I think the situation with him in San Antonio which I don’t want to talk about because I don’t know much about it, but he’s a quiet kid,” Ujiri said. “That’s his nature. We can’t all be the same kind of people. But he is as engaging as he would want to be and he’s very interesting. There is no maintenance with him. There are no tons of people around him. His (focus) is on basketball which is what you want. He is a basketball junkie.”

Ujiri spoke on the sundrenched rooftop of a swish downtown hotel after a morning Giants of Africa event.

He talked about how tough decisions such as trading Derozan and firing coach Dwane Casey might eventually drive him out of the basketball business.