Toronto Raptors Articles - Page 133

Whenever Kawhi Leonard laughs, it’s an event. So when the Toronto Raptors swingman let out an awkward cackle that proved he’s not a robot bereft of feeling any human emotions during Monday’s NBA media day, people on the internet went hog wild. But those who’ve been watching Leonard closely throughout his rise to basketball superstardom […]

The Toronto Raptors went through their first official practice of training camp on Tuesday morning that saw All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard take a significant step forward by partaking in the practice for the first time since eight months. Following his first session with the team, Leonard voiced to reporters that he felt good physically, according […]

Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry had been dodging calls and texts from team officials, including president Masai Ujiri and new head coach Nick Nurse after the franchise traded his best friend, small forward DeMar DeRozan — according to a report from Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. The Raptors traded DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs […]

Following the arrival of Kawhi Leonard, Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri doesn’t want to hear how little pull the city has when it comes to attracting players to play there. “The narrative of not wanting to come to this city is gone. That’s old talk,” said Ujiri on Monday’s Media Day, according to Ryan Wolstat […]

Toronto Raptors star Kyle Lowry has recently exhibited how he is a true model professional. It was one of the busiest and ugliest summers in the history of the franchise, but the 32-year-old guard made it abundantly clear where his loyalty remains. When asked about what type of mindset he will have following a tumultuous […]

Newly acquired All-Star Kawhi Leonard sat down with members of the Toronto Raptors media on Monday for his first official appearance since joining the team. Leonard was asked to describe himself to the fans in Canada who might not know him that well. Keep in mind that Leonard is a quiet kind of guy. He […]

Kawhi Leonard spoke to the media for the first time since last season, claiming he doesn’t regret the saga that unfolded upon his quad injury, causing his trade from the San Antonio Spurs to the Toronto Raptors earlier this summer. “I have no regrets. Want to stay in the present, not look back,” said Leonard […]

Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse is not concerned about Kawhi Leonard’s health heading into training camp, noting that it’s “all systems go” heading into training camp, according to Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun. Leonard has looked good health-wise, but the Raptors are expected to closely monitor him throughout the season, according to Eric […]

The Toronto Raptors are interested in trading for Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star small forward Jimmy Butler, according to Darren Wolfson of KSTP. The Timberwolves have told at least one team with interest in acquiring Butler they can get a good player back for the 6-foot-7 swingman. Butler can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer […]

Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse is happy to be in an ideal situation with one of the best organizations in basketball this year. Nurse was hired in back in June, after the the team decided to part ways with Dwane Casey. Casey led the the Raptors to a 59-23 record, earning them the best […]

Famous rapper and avid basketball fan Drake is looking to build an NBA-sized court in his home in Toronto, as reported by TMZ. Devin Ch of Hot Net Whip Hop also wrote about the rapper’s own basketball court. “Drake is outfitting his new Toronto-area mansion with an NBA-sized basketball court. The move makes his home that much more amenable to […]

San Antonio Spurs newly-acquired superstar, DeMar DeRozan, has posted a cryptic tweet about revenge on his official Twitter account. DeRozan’s message seems to be a hint of bad blood against his former team, Toronto Raptors. Revenge is a dish best served cold… — DeMar DeRozan (@DeMar_DeRozan) September 20, 2018 It could be recalled that the […]

San Antonio Spurs shooting guard DeMar DeRozan will face off against his former team, the Toronto Raptors, for the first time on Jan. 3, and the four-time All-Star has big plans for that night. In a recent video shot with former teammate Serge Ibaka, DeRozan said he’ll score 50 points on the Raptors, and even […]

Jimmy Butler has made the last minute bell strike on the Timberwolves, as he requested a trade earlier Wednesday following a meeting with head coach Tom Thibodeau as the two sides couldn’t come to terms on the future direction for Butler, after contractual negotiations fell through. Now as Minnesota stares across the pile of trades […]

The L.A. Clippers are emerging as a front-runner for Toronto Raptors small forward Kawhi Leonard if he becomes an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019, according to a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Leonard is widely expected to decline his 2019-20 player option with the Raptors and enter the open market. The two-time […]

Eric Moreland and the Toronto Raptors have reached agreement on a one-year, partially guaranteed deal, per Mike Scotto of The Athletic. Teams are looking to round out their rosters as training camp approaches. The Toronto Raptors and free agent forward Eric Moreland have agreed to a one-year, partially guaranteed deal, a league source told The […]

Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri knows what he bargained for and won’t create false expectation of his star addition Kawhi Leonard. The Klaw has been historically a quiet player who often doesn’t say more than what’s necessary, and at times he’s even painfully quiet when media inquires for further depth in a subject. “He’s a quiet […]

Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri expressed confidence in star point guard Kyle Lowry getting past the heartbreak of seeing former backcourt mate DeMar DeRozan traded to the San Antonio Spurs. Ujiri said he wasn’t surprised by Lowry’s reaction to the trade, but “is confident he’ll be a pro and lead the team once camp opens, […]

Despite the short time between the trade that shook the NBA world this offseason, Kawhi Leonard is expected to return to Toronto and join the Raptors for training camp shortly, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN. President Masai Ujiri indicated that his star forward would be “ready to roll” by the start of camp, saying […]

Former teammates DeMar DeRozan and Serge Ibaka have teamed up for the latest episode of “How hungry are you?” The YouTube series stars Ibaka where he basically cooks a meal with a guest whom he shares a word or two. In episode four, Ibaka’s guest is none other than DeRozan — his teammate for two […]

The TimberBulls fantasy that piqued our interest over the past couple of days might go down the drain before the new season even kicks off. Jimmy Butler scheduled an appointment with coach Tom Thibodeau and GM Scott Layden earlier this week, and not just for an ordinary chit-chat; the 4-time All-Star is apparently disgruntled and […]

The trade of then-San Antonio Spurs All-star wingman Kawhi Leonard for All-star shooting guard DeMar DeRozan was one the biggest things to impact the NBA landscape. The two-time All-star and former NBA champion is one of the best two-way players in the league when healthy. His addition immediately catapults them beyond contender status to one […]

Kawhi Leonard is going to be the biggest free agent on the market in the summer of 2019, and while many won’t like it, it’s going to be talked about for the entire 2018-19 season. Will he stay with the Toronto Raptors? Will he join LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers? Will he join […]

LeBron James is with the Los Angeles Lakers. Kawhi Leonard is with the Toronto Raptors. Anthony Davis and Julius Randle are a dynamic new front court. And in Boston, the Celtics return Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. The NBA landscape has drastically changed and with it, brand new possibilities arise. The Golden State Warriors unlocked […]

The Toronto Raptors took a major gamble by trading for Kawhi Leonard. The team had no assurances that Leonard would sign a long-term deal to remain in Toronto, but they pulled the trigger on the deal anyway. Well, the team could be rewarded for their gamble. According to Marc. J. Spears of The Undefeated: “The […]

Toronto Raptors swingman Kawhi Leonard was putting in work this summer, as a recent photo saw him posing next to Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant in what could be seen as an omen for those hoping he stays in Toronto past this 2018-19 season. While Bryant has been known to help plenty of people, […]

Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri has a big task ahead of himself, needing to lock down his newest acquisition Kawhi Leonard after he becomes a free agent by the end of this upcoming season. Ujiri’s plan is far from complex, just to be as genuine as possible and sell him on the culture he’s helped […]

The Raptors trade for Kawhi Leonard isn’t exactly solid ground for the franchise. Aside from moving their former All-star in DeMar DeRozan, a first rounder, and a young big man talent in Jakob Poeltl, Leonard committing for the long haul is still a lingering question for the team. It is a given when healthy Leonard […]

As another season is set to unfold, the Minnesota Timberwolves find themselves in a precarious position that could undermine their championship aspirations. Superstar shooting guard Jimmy Butler, whom the team acquired via trade in 2017, recently declined a max contract extension that would pay him $110-million over four years. Reported rifts with several young teammates suggested […]

Moving Kawhi Leonard to the North is one of the boldest and arguably the biggest trade splash that has happened recently. Being mired in playoff limbo for quite some time now, this move is expected to catapult them into the Finals by acquiring one of the best two-way players in the league. Moving former Raptor […]

An initial report stated that undrafted forward Deng Adel had agreed to join the Minnesota Timberwolves for the team’s preseason training camp, but the 22-year-old appears to have had a change of heart and is now set to sign a deal with the Toronto Raptors, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Coming out of Victory Rock […]

The Golden State Warriors are the pioneers and gold standard when it comes to concocting a devastating positionless lineup. The Death Lineup, as it is rightly called, has killed the competition en route to three championships so far. Since its proven success, other teams are following suit on modern positionless basketball on their lineups. While […]

New Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard is looking to reach new heights, and it looks like he has the dedication and discipline to do it. All of the best players who dominate the NBA have legendary work ethics. Kobe Bryant was known for his unending workout regimen, shooting jumpers at 3 A.M. after losses. LeBron James is […]

Many expect the Toronto Raptors to walk on eggshells around Kawhi Leonard this season for fear of losing him in free agency. Some believe the organization will cater to Kawhi and do everything in their power to keep him in Toronto long term. But according to The Athletic’s Eric Koreen, Leonard’s past coaches don’t think […]

Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard’s college coach at San Diego State, Steve Fisher, saw Leonard as a secondary player while he was recruiting the future NBA superstar, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic. But Fisher didn’t see this as a bad thing. He told Koreen: “He played second fiddle to some of the other guys. […]

Putting aside all the drama that surrounded the superstar last season, Kawhi Leonard is primed to have a major comeback season this year with the Toronto Raptors. His former assistant coach in San Antonio can attest to how Leonard’s extraordinary physique makes him one of the most unique players in the league right now. Eric […]

The hopes of the Toronto Raptors could hinge on the relationship between Kawhi Leonard and Nick Nurse. Leonard is an intimidating figure, and Nurse knows that if the organization has any chance of retaining the All-Star for the long haul, the coach will have to develop a bond with the mercurial star. According to Eric […]

Toronto Raptors superstar forward Kawhi Leonard is known for his shyness, but did you know of his superhero like ability to make eye contact? Relax, friends. This will all make sense in a second. Steve Fisher, Leonard’s college basketball coach, was recently interviewed by The Athletic. There were a ton of neat nuggets dug from the […]

Toronto Raptors forward Danny Green was plenty optimistic about his still-teammate Kawhi Leonard, as both wings were traded from the San Antonio Spurs as part of the fallout of Kawhi-gate. Green spent some time with The Klaw in San Diego and felt confident he’d make a return to full health, considering that he only played nine games […]