National Post (National Edition)
Leonard ready for next chapter
L.A. Clippers introduce their two new stars
Toronto Raptors fans now have photo evidence: Kawhi Leonard is no longer a member of their favourite team.
Leonard and fellow superstar Paul George were introduced on Wednesday as the faces of the Los Angeles Clippers, the new betting favourites to win the 2019-20 NBA championship.
In his first musings since spurning the Raptors to head to California earlier this month, the lowkey Leonard offered some thanks, in his typically understated form, to his former teammates who helped him claim his second title, and to the organization as a whole. Interestingly, there was not a specific shoutout to the Raptors medical staff that nursed him back to MVP form following an injury-ravaged, ninegame final season with the San Antonio Spurs, or the squad’s front office.
“I want to thank the Toronto Raptors fans, I don’t have social media or I’m not able to put out a paragraph or whatever, but, I thank all of Toronto, the city, the country. It was a great, amazing season. Best parade ever,” Leonard said at the media conference.
He clearly enjoyed Canada’s health care practitioners.
“Thanks to the doctors for delivering my baby, my baby boy. He’s three months now, still healthy,” Leonard said.
“You know, the players, they already know what’s up, text, FaceTime, real talk. Coaching staff as well. The whole organization really. I just thank the whole city.”
Leonard was joined on stage by George, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, president Lawrence Frank and head coach Doc Rivers and quickly shifted gears.
“But now I’m on my next journey. These guys, I think we got a great future,” he said.
“Paul is always a player that I wanted to play with … I think we got some special, we can make history here … I’m excited. You know, watching that video that they just presented I’m ready to go.”
Leonard could have formed a superteam with LeBron James and Anthony Davis and still been in Los Angeles, but hinted about something that has been speculated about with Leonard ending both Miami and Golden State dynasties — he prefers to be the destroyer of stacked teams, not part of one.
Leonard truly relished taking the longtime NBA afterthought Raptors to uncharted territory and hopes to do it again for a franchise that has never been there and has long been in the shadow of the Lakers, owners of 11 league titles since moving West.
“I want to win again. And just this opportunity for us to just build our own, you know what I mean, to make history, they haven’t been to the Finals,” Leonard said.
“They haven’t won the Finals. So, we know that was something big and exciting for me to, you know, make my decision.”
Seeing Leonard on stage alongside the boundlessly energetic Ballmer was quite the contrast. George and Leonard even stared dumbfounded at times when Ballmer, who is as enthusiastic as he is rich — which is saying something considering few people on the planet have more money than him — truly cranked things up a few levels.
Speaking of cranking it up, George, who recently had shoulder surgery, and Leonard, who was famously “load managed” by the Raptors, both expect to be 100 per cent for the season.
“I came in the year (with the Raptors) not fully healthy. So, you know, we laid out pretty much a schedule for myself, to see what this could be possible for me, for the long term,” Leonard said.
“This year coming up I feel like I’m (going to be) full strength. It’s just one of those things you just
FOR MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO, YOU KNOW, DRIVE
TO A GAME, WATCH ME PLAY.
take down the road and see how your body (reacts) …
“You know how the NBA season is, it’s a battle of 82 games but the goal right now is to play the season, so we’ll see what happens.”
Both Leonard and George made it clear that while they like the organization the Clippers have built and were intrigued by the thought of teaming up, there’s no question coming home was also a major selling point.
“Just be able to, you know, for my friends and family to, you know, drive to a game, watch me play … they will just enjoy the time, here this is gonna be great,” Leonard said.
George said having the chance to be around family and friends full time, including more access to his niece and nephew, was a huge consideration.
He had reportedly angled to be dealt from Indiana to the Lakers a few years ago.
“I’ve always wanted to play back home and see what that was like and do something for my hometown,” George said. “Now I’m here (and) I can do that.”
The Clippers recognized Canadian guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the centrepiece of the George deal with the Thunder, with Frank saying he “is going to be a special player in this league.”
Ballmer looked ahead.
“I’m so proud of the guys we have coming back and we got the guys who I think will be perfect put together in Paul and Kawhi to really give us a chance to do the only real thing we want to do ...
“We’re only here for one reason. We want to win it all.”