Kawhi Leonard will forever be linked to the Toronto Raptors in a way nobody else who spent just one season with a franchise will ever be. The Los Angeles Clippers forward validated that after LA's 124-113 win over the Canadian side on Tuesday.

Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue gave Leonard, who has not played in both legs of any back-to-back set this season, a choice for where he wanted to play for their post-Christmas B2B: Detroit or Toronto?

“Toronto,” Lue said Leonard chose without hesitation. “Short conversation.”

Not only did Kawhi play, but he also racked up a season-high 35 minutes and even had a moment with Toronto's favorite son and massive Raptors fan Drake.

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“Kawhi on opting to play in Toronto on the second night of a back-to-back: ‘It’s always great memories coming into this arena… I would rather give the fans in Toronto a chance to see me play again.'”

Apologies to all the Kawhi Leonard fans in Detroit. The man just had to pay homage to the last place he won a title for and that embraced him with open arms. Leonard finished with 15 points to go along with seven rebounds and eight assists as he continues to work himself back to playing shape after missing all of last season with a knee injury.

The Clippers are still in the thick of the playoff picture in a closely packed Western Conference. If Kawhi can get back to anywhere close to his Raptors peak once the postseason rolls around, they could be a sleeping giant.