Can Kawhi Leonard Do It Again for the Raptors?

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Written By Jason Green | Published at October 20, 2026
Can-Kawhi-Leonard do it again for the Raptors? He is back with the team that he helpled win the NBA title in 2018.
Oct 13, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard (2) reacts after a play against New York Knicks guard Kevin McCullar Jr. (9) against during the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Kawhi Leonard is back in Toronto, where he led the team to its first and only NBA title in 2019. He is still one of the best in the game, and if he is healthy, can Kawhi Leonard do it again for the Raptors?

Good Chance for a Good Start 

The Raptors have a strong chance to get off to a good start. In their season opener Wednesday night at home, they host a Chicago Bulls team that was 20 games under .500 last season. Then, in their next game, they travel to D.C. to take on a Washington Wizards team that went 17-65 last season and finished in the basement of the Eastern Conference. Then it gets a lot tougher with the next four games coming against playoff teams from last season.

Leonard Is a Big Addition on Both Sides of the Floor 

Leonard’s health is always a factor, but if he stays healthy, he adds strength and addresses a weakness. Even at 35, Leonard is still one of the game's better defenders, and he joins a Raptors team that had the fifth-best defensive rating last season. He is also a solid 3-point shooter, and last season the Raptors only ranked 25th in the league in 3-pointers made per game (11.3).

Leonard’s shooting should keep teams from packing the paint and give Toronto's scorers, mainly RJ Barrett (19.3 ppg), Scottie Barnes (18.1 ppg), and Immanuel Quickley (16.4 ppg), space.

Again, health is the key to Leonard, and the young scorers have to find ways to win when he is not on the court. He was healthy, for the most part, last season, playing in 65 of 82 games, but that was only the second time in the six seasons since he left Toronto that he played more than 65 games.

Kawhi joins a Raptors team that finished fifth in the East last season and lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a seven-game first-round series.

What the Oddsmakers are Saying 

Before the season tips off, the top Canadian sportsbooks have the Raptors far from the favorites, but their odds are pretty high. At Sports Interaction, they are tied with three other teams for the fifth-best odds to win it all at +2500. They are tied with the Detroit Pistons and the Cavs for the fourth-best odds to win the East at +900.

There is a lot of buzz in Toronto, and for good reason: the last time Leonard suited up for them, they had a parade after the season.

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