Bobby Webster Sends Emphatic Message to Kawhi Leonard Before Training Camp

2027 is a year of excitement for Toronto Raptors fans, as the franchise finally has a roster that is ready to compete for a championship for the first time since 2019. This, of course, is due to the addition of the Finals MVP from the first championship, Kawhi Leonard, who has finally made his way back to Canada after seven years with the Los Angeles Clippers. 

Last season, the Raptors were able to make their first playoff appearance for the first time in four years. Unfortunately, they did not possess enough firepower to overtake the Cleveland Cavaliers, who ultimately were victorious in the seven-game first-round series. Durability was certainly an issue for Toronto; two-time All-Star Brandon Ingram sat out the last few games of the series due to a heel injury, Immanuel Quickley missed the entire postseason with a hamstring injury, and Jakob Poeltl was limited by a lower back strain suffered earlier in the season. 

However, it was clear all year that the Raptors severely lacked a consistent half-court and fourth-quarter offense, especially when playing against the top teams in the NBA. Adding a seven-time All-Star who is coming off his career-high in points per game for a season (27.9) will surely be the key to these issues; at least that’s what general manager Bobby Webster is hoping for, given the significant draft compensation traded away in addition to Ingram and Gradey Dick. 

When speaking on the phone with Leonard prior to his arrival, Webster was clear in his aspirations for next season (via Open Gym).

“Let’s get you your third chip,” said Webster. “[Toronto] is gonna go crazy. Let’s go, man.”

In Leonard’s first season back with the Raptors, it surely will not be a championship-or-bust year. After all, the 35-year-old is expected to sign a two-year extension before training camp begins, so really Toronto has a legitimate three-year window to contend with this core before needing to significantly retool the roster. With that being said, a second straight first-round exit would undoubtedly be seen as a failure. The salary table is only going to get more complicated as the years progress; Scottie Barnes and Poeltl are set to earn more money each year, Quickley’s deal giving him $32.5 million per year lasts for all three years, and RJ Barrett will be expecting a new contract next summer as well. 

That means the pressure is on now to show that this roster is capable of reaching the top of the summit. If they fall substantially short, or even suffer a horrible series loss deep in the playoffs, major trades may come as a result to find more help around Leonard and Barnes. At the end of the day, there is one thing that will need to hold up if the Raptors want to even have a chance at a deep playoff run, and that’s Leonard’s health. Several factors must be in play for a team to win the championship, and it’s clear everyone in the organization is ready to do their part to help get the franchise back to the same spot it was in seven years ago.