Kawhi Leonard was warmly welcomed back by Toronto Raptors fans as he returned to the team in a pre-season game against the New York Knicks. This marked his first game with the Raptors since being traded from the Los Angeles Clippers in the off-season.
Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic expressed excitement about having Leonard back on the court and highlighted the significance of him playing in front of Toronto fans. Leonard, a two-time NBA Finals MVP, previously led the Raptors to an NBA championship in the 2018-19 season before moving to the Clippers.
Following an NBA investigation into salary cap violations involving Leonard and the Clippers, the trade deal sending him back to Toronto was finalized. The trade involved players and draft picks moving between the two teams.
Now back with the Raptors, Leonard is aiming to have a positive impact on the team and enjoy playing basketball. The defending NBA champions, the Knicks, were looking to secure their first pre-season win against the Raptors, who had a mixed pre-season record heading into the game.
Looking ahead, the Raptors are scheduled to face the Chicago Bulls in their upcoming home opener on October 21.
