Four bounces off the rim... and in! A thundering slam dunk over
the presumptive NBA MVP. Nailing two free throws in the final 0.9
seconds—sealing the first ever NBA Championship for the
Toronto Raptors. Kawhi Leonard had a basketball season for the
ages. Traded to Toronto in the offseason, he delivered a dream
season for his team and their fans. He won the hearts of
Torontonians—and all Canadians.
Even as the championship glow (or hangover!) lingers, the big
question that dogged Kawhi all season remains: will he re-sign with
the Raptors, or will he head home to California and play for the
Lakers or Clippers?
There are many financial reasons for him to stay. NBA rules
allow the Raptors to offer him more money and more years than any
other team. Based on recent salary cap projections, the Raptors can
offer Kawhi U.S. $189.66M over five years (an average of
approximately $38M/season). Other teams can "only" offer
him $140.61M over four years (an average of
