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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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The Toronto Raptors are among NBA teams looking to make a splash this offseason with a blockbuster trade to land another All-Star player for their team.
There is speculation that Toronto is among the group of teams attempting to make a deal with the Boston Celtics for Jaylen Brown, but also that they could attempt to land Kawhi Leonard from the Los Angeles Clippers.
However, as most trade talks go, there are certain players that teams would rather not include in a prospective deal, and for the Raptors, that player is RJ Barrett, per NBA insider Jake L Fischer of the Stein Line.
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Additionally, Fischer notes that Toronto would prefer to trade Brandon Ingram to the Clippers as part of a package for Leonard. This past season, Ingram averaged 21.5 points a game to lead the team, along with 5.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He also became an NBA All-Star for the second time in his career.
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Meanwhile, Barrett was second on the team in scoring, averaging 19.3 points, to go with 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. He had a strong postseason performance in his team's seven-game series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, including a 33-point game and a game-winning three-pointer in Game 6 to force a seventh game.
Based on the recent report of the team preferring to keep Barrett, it appears they have a good concept of how they'd want their team to move forward, with Leonard potentially taking over as the team's leading scorer from Ingram and slotting into the lineup nicely with Barrett and Scottie Barnes.
It would also mark a return to Toronto for Leonard, where he previously played for a season and helped the team capture the NBA championship, after winning one with the San Antonio Spurs. Following his 2018-19 stint with the Raptors, Leonard signed a deal to join the Clippers, where he's spent the past six seasons.
Despite Leonard playing alongside fellow NBA All-Star James Harden, the duo was unable to deliver much success for the Clippers. Harden has since been traded to the Cavaliers, and now Leonard seems to be on the way out as well.
In addition to the Raptors, other teams pursuing Leonard include the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, and Detroit Pistons, each of which presents intriguing opportunities. A return to the Spurs would be a major move, bringing Leonard back to his original team to potentially compete for a championship in a lineup with Victor Wembanyama and other young emerging stars.
According to another Stein Line report from Jake L. Fischer last week, the Raptors and Spurs are the only two teams that Leonard would want to sign a long-term extension with if he were traded to them.
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