Kawhi Leonard didn't get the boos some were expecting to hear upon his return to Toronto, but that wasn't a huge surprise to Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers.
“When you leave on good terms, you get what you got,” Rivers told Michael Lee of The Athletic. “Kawhi never once said that he was planning on staying. He never said that one time. So, he didn’t mislead anybody. He played as hard as he could play for the franchise. He was traded here and he didn’t complain one time. He just handled everything so first-class that all you can do is cheer.”
It helps that Leonard won the Raptors their first-ever NBA title, something that has earned him a soft spot in the hearts of the people of Toronto.
Leonard was genuine from the start and remained his quiet self when asked about his future commitment, likely knowing the strong ties that waited for him at home.
“Still love the city,” Leonard said of Toronto. “Those guys on the team, the players, the coaching staff, still have love for them and wish them the best.”
Rivers drew the analogy to LeBron James, who has left Cleveland twice but is now welcome after delivering a title.
“Like LeBron when he goes to Cleveland now, the second time. They cheer. He won the title,” Rivers said. “That’s what this business is about. And I go back to Kawhi. The way he did it was very professional, never made one comment about the city. He actually enjoyed the city. He loved the people. And the other part, he went home. It’s not like he went somewhere to join a rival or whatever. He went to another conference and he went home, which was something he was trying to do for the last couple of years. I think the fans showed so much class because I think they understood that.”
Leonard will look to give the city of Los Angeles something to be thankful for with his new team, hoping to deliver the first championship in Clippers franchise history.
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