Rachel Nichols urges fans to consider ‘brain frying’ implications of Kawhi Leonard’s Raptors trade
Sports analyst Rachel Nichols points out the domino effect of Kawhi Leonard leaving the Toronto Raptors in 2019. In 2019, Kawhi Leonard was in the absolute prime of his NBA career, and he was among the hottest commodities in the league.
Sports analyst Rachel Nichols highlighted how Kawhi Leonard's departure from the Toronto Raptors in 2019 set off a chain reaction that altered the course of the NBA. Leonard led the Raptors to their first-ever NBA Championship, a historic achievement for the organization. However, Leonard opted to join the LA Clippers instead of re-signing with Toronto.
In 2026, Leonard was traded back to the Raptors. Nichols pointed out that the Raptors would have never had Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, which would have impacted the Oklahoma City Thunder's chances of winning the title. They would have also had a better shot at the Indiana Pacers. With Leonard's return, the Clippers would have possessed Shai, as well as their own draft picks.
NBA players Paul George and Kyle Lowry would have likely ended up elsewhere, without Leonard. Nichols emphasized that, while one could speculate about the outcome of various trades, Leonard's return to the Raptors made the situation particularly perplexing.
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