First look at Kawhi
One of the most surprising moves of the offseason came when the San Antonio Spurs dealt Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for DeMar DeRozan. When healthy, Kawhi was in the ranks of the NBA’s elite superstars. He’ll have to prove he can bounce back from injury and that he can mesh with his new team, but if he does so, he and the Raptors could be a force in the East.
And while Leonard’s playing time could be spotty during preseason, it’s pretty cool that the Jazz will get to be the first team to host him and his Raptors squad. Toronto gets underway in preseason on September 29th at home against the Portland Trail Blazers before heading out to take on the Jazz in Salt Lake City.
Despite their epic collapse in the playoffs, the Raptors were a daunting squad last season, nabbing the top seed in the East. Now that their charge is led by Kawhi Leonard and they still own an impressive bench, they’re going to be tough to stop. Normally, the Jazz only get to see the Raptors at home once during the year, so getting this extra glimpse in preseason will be a true pleasure.