Raptors' Darko Rajaković Raves About Kawhi Leonard's Impact On the Court

The Toronto Raptors are still awaiting the day that superstar Kawhi Leonard finally steps onto the court in a Raptors uniform once again following a trade in the offseason that brought him back to the franchise from the Los Angeles Clippers.

Leonard missed the team's preseason opener last week against the Miami Heat and is slated to sit out for a second time tonight in the Raptors' matchup against his former team.

Still, fourth-year head coach Darko Rajaković has had nothing but positive things to say about the intensity and veteran experience that Leonard will bring to Toronto this upcoming season.

"Just the gravity that he creates... he's going to create opportunities for other guys. Kawhi is such a force offensively," Rajaković told reporters. "We got to provide him space. We got to provide him with good screening. We got to put him in positions that he can be himself. He needs to be who he is as a player. The rest of the guys can benefit a lot from defenses closing out on him, loading up on him, etc."

Leonard wrapped up his final season as a Clipper on a strong note, leading the team with 27.9 points and 1.9 steals per game through 32.1 minutes of action. Moreover, Leonard averaged 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists. He also shot an efficient 50.5% from the field and converted on 89.2% of attempts at the free throw line.

While opposing defenses will certainly be keeping their eyes on the 35-year-old Leonard, he will be supported by other offensive threats on the team like Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles whose performances are poised to take a significant leap this season.

Murray-Boyles averaged 8.5 points, five rebounds and 1.9 assists while going 198-342 from the field during his rookie season with Toronto. His consistency and reliable defense should complement Leonard well on the court given their similar skillsets.

Furthermore, Leonard will look to flip the narrative on his injury struggles this year after being sidelined for 17 games last year and 45 games in 2024. If Leonard can stay healthy, the Raptors should be on track to making a return to 2019-esque levels of dominance and possibly winning their second title in franchise history.

While Leonard continues to ramp up his body for the grind of another 82-game season, the Raptors will have their sights set on a bounce-back win over L.A. this evening at 6:30 p.m. EDT.