“I Can’t Blame A Man”: Years After Kawhi Leonard’s Infamous Text, Former NBA Champion Opens Up About His Crushed Desire to Look Different

One of the greatest trades in NBA history occurred in the summer of 2018 when the Toronto Raptors acquired Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green from the San Antonio Spurs. The Raptors viewed the trade as a high-risk, high-reward strategy because Leonard was coming off of a season where he appeared in only nine games for the Spurs due to injury and was rumored to have conflicts with the team management. Fast forward to today, a 2019 NBA champion from the Kawhi Leonard-led Toronto Raptors team addressed the contentious topic of the Klaw leaving Toronto for greener pastures.

Although the move to acquire Kawhi was unquestionably successful for the Raptors, there was a price to pay. The following summer, Leonard decided to leave Toronto in free agency and join the Los Angeles Clippers. The Raptors’ chances of winning a championship were dashed by the Finals MVP’s departure, but it also provided them with new options.?

Toronto Raptors star opens up about the departure of Kawhi Leonard?

The news of Leonard leaving the team was broken through an ‘infamous’ text message. During his best friend’s bachelor party at a club, Fred VanVleet received a text message from Kawhi Leonard. The message revealed that Leonard was going to sign with the Clippers, moments before the news broke to the public.

Pascal Siakam wis one player who broke out of his shell after Leonard’s departure. His previous two seasons in the league had shown glimpses of his talent. Siakam soon established himself as the Raptors’ go-to scorer and was selected for his first All-Star game.?

The 29-year-old recently discussed his immediate response to Leonard’s sudden departure on Draymond Green’s podcast. “I think at the end of the day, for me, it was just like, man, like if there’s one person that I will see do that, it would be Kawhi, you know what I’m saying? Like, in my head, like that would be the only, like, the one person that I’ll be like, ‘yo, like I can see him doing that,’ because, you know, the way he conducts his business, the way he is, like all the things that he does, it’s always in, like, just a particular way,? Siakam said.

He also added that the Klaw leaving definitely hurt him deeply, because the entire team was locked in to repeat their 2019 glory along side Kawhi. The two-time Finals MVP’s departure completely destroyed that possibility for the team. However, Siakam confirmed that he understood Kawhi’s point of view and doesn’t have anything against him.

He added, “I don’t want to say he made a mistake. That’s crazy to say. Because, you know, at the end of the day, man, I think as we all know, it’s the man’s happiness, and being in a place that’s gonna make you the most happy, that’s the most important thing above all. I love Kawhi as a brother or someone that we won a championship together, but I will never be like, ‘Oh, you made the wrong choice,’ just because he made a choice that was good for him, and I respect it. Do I wish it was on our team? Yeah, maybe it would look a little different. But, I can’t blame the man for making a decision for himself and his family.”

Siakam pointed out that the team would’ve looked completely different with Kawhi on the roster, but his departure completely crushed the prospect. However, he has made peace with the truth.

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Siakam leads the Raptors to success post-Leonard departure

Siakam and the Raptors have persisted in creating something exceptional in Toronto despite the initial setback. The veteran star has once again been a vital player for the team, averaging 20.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game as they sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a 28-18 record.

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While the Raptors undoubtedly suffered a loss with Leonard’s departure, fresh possibilities also presented themselves. The Raptors are still in the Eastern Conference’s top tier of competition, and Siakam has established himself as a star in his own right. Despite being a one-year rental, the trade for Leonard will go down in franchise history as one of the most significant decisions since it gave Toronto its first NBA championship.