When talking about free agent destinations, the likes of New York and Los Angeles immediately come to mind. However, former NBA commissioner David Stern believes that Toronto is becoming a destination for stars too.
“It has not worn off, it has been exploded off,” David Stern said in phone interview with The Canadian Press. “Toronto has the most wonderful array of sports assets and a cosmopolitan community and a great building.
“It’s a pleasure to see that it is a destination city that players want to go to.”
Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri is another believer in Toronto as a free agent landing spot, but that probably doesn't come as much of a shock. He's ready to move on from the narrative that Toronto isn't a viable destination for stars.
“We have to move on,” he told The Canadian Press. “To continue to hear about people not wanting to come here is actually irritating after a while. It is. Come on. Let’s be real. People like it here.”
The upcoming summer will prove whether or not Stern and Ujiri are right. Right now, they're working on convincing Kawhi Leonard to stay in Toronto long-term. So far, so good. The Raptors are off to a red-hot start, winning 11 of their first 12 games. Leonard looks like the MVP candidate he was in San Antonio.
If he thinks he's found a home in Toronto and with the Raptors, he'll prove Stern and Ujiri right.
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