Will Kawhi Leonard have his jersey retired? Toronto embraces the most unique legacy in the NBA

As we tip off the 2026-27 season, I don’t begrudge NBA fans who are desperately trying to make sense of this past offseason. We are right there with you. LeBron James and Jaylen Brown are Sixers? Giannis Antetokounmpo is in South Beach? The Washington Wizards gave Trae Young how much?

The biggest plot twist, however, involves our friends north of the border. In the aftermath of the stiffest punishment in NBA history handed down by commissioner Adam Silver on LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and his eternally beleaguered franchise, Kawhi Leonard has largely escaped unscathed. And not only that, Leonard, the grand prize of the Clippers’ cap circumvention, has returned to the team that originally flagged cap circumvention shadiness to the league office when he left — the Toronto Raptors.

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Yes, Kawhi Leonard is a Raptor, picking up where he left off in 2019 in a quest to bring another title to Canada. He continues what is the most confusing NBA legacy of his generation. A two-time Finals MVP, seven-time All-NBA selection and two-time Defensive Player of the Year who, as of now, is no lock to have his jersey retired by any of his former teams.

It’s a question that I can’t stop thinking about as NBA fans wrestle with how one of the game’s greats will be remembered following a historic cap scandal: Do the Raptors represent Leonard’s best shot at having his jersey retired? 

In the player empowerment era, the fascinating case of Leonard could help shape the legacies of his superstar peers who jump from team to team.

Kawhi Leonard kicks off his second tenure with Toronto. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Leonard’s legacy?

Imagine telling an NBA fan in 2017 how this Kawhi Leonard story would play out. At the time, Leonard had earned back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards, had already won a championship and a Finals MVP. The Spurs were coming off back-to-back 60-win seasons and Leonard was the face of it all.

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If you look up in the rafters at the Spurs’ arena, you’ll see Timmy, Tony and Manu’s jerseys up there. And for a while, it seemed like Leonard’s No. 2 jersey…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/will-kawhi-leonard-have-his-jersey-retired-toronto-embraces-the-most-unique-legacy-in-the-nba-161218161.html

Author : Tom Haberstroh

Publish date : 2026-10-21 16:12:00

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