The Toronto Raptors were able to celebrate their unlikely victory over the Golden State Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals. The city of Toronto is now doing what it can to shower forward Kawhi Leonard with all the praise it can.
Although Leonard has not been with the Raptors for very long, his stint has certainly been fruitful. It appears he has already been awarded a key to the city from mayor John Tory, via NBA TV:
Kawhi and the @Raptors receive the key to the city of Toronto! 🔑🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/O531C52ZrS
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 17, 2019
Toronto has pulled out all the stops in their attempts to bribe Leonard to stay long-term. Being awarded the key to the city is just the latest example of a long line of gifts that fans are willing to bestow on him. Of course, the praise certainly understandable considering the magnitude of their victory.
The Raptors had long struggled to get over the hump in the playoffs. The majority of their disappointing losses came at the hands of LeBron James. Fortunately, his departure made way for a new team to claim the top spot in the East. Toronto made sure to capitalize on this opportunity with some significant changes to their roster and coaching staff. It ultimately paid off in the first year as Leonard led them to their first championship in franchise history.
Despite their success, there is still plenty of speculation about his future going into the offseason. Leonard is reportedly set to test the waters of free agency and the NBA landscape has already begun to shift. Regardless, it is safe to assume that Toronto will continue to praise him until he makes his decision.
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