The Toronto Raptors swung for the fences, while teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and the Philadelphia 76ers were hesitant to give out assets in return for Kawhi Leonard.
President Masai Ujiri was willing part ways with DeMar DeRozan in order to acquire the former two-time Defensive Player of the Year, something he justified during Friday's press conference.
“On paper, we feel we have a team that can compete in the East and maybe, hopefully, compete for a championship,” said Ujiri, according to Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. “That’s why we are in sports, to compete for championships.”
The front office boss explained his decision to part ways with DeRozan and take a chance on an injured star, who is still pending a team physical before the trade is made official.
“We have been doing this for how many years? You can’t keep doing the same thing over and over,” said Ujiri. “At this point, we got to the level where this opportunity came to us, and we had to jump on it.”
A player of Leonard's caliber is hardly ever available in the trade market, a rare chance that Ujiri had to pounce on after firing former coach Dwane Casey, committed to remain competitive in a now hollowed-out Eastern Conference.
“Without the medical drama, you have no chance to talk to a player like this,” said Ujiri. “He would still be in San Antonio.”
The Raptors will have one year to sell Leonard onto staying with the team, after his camp put out his intentions to wind up in Los Angeles, one way or another.
“It’s my job, but I think there’s a lot to sell here,” Ujiri concluded. “Our team, city, culture… we have everything here except a championship, in my humble opinion. We don’t lack anything.”
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