Kawhi Leonard cites family and homesickness as the reason why he left the Raptors

Kawhi Leonard has officially become a Clippers and recently sat down with the press to offer some insight to his thought process why he chose the Clippers the way he did. He also spoke about why he didn’t want to stay with the Raptors, citing homesickness and the need to be near his family as he continues his journey in the league.

Kawhi Leonard has been the most sought after free agent during the offseason after he helped the Raptors win its first-ever title in franchise history. There are multiple teams that competed to land him, but the Clippers ultimately won that race.

When asked why the Clippers specifically, Kawhi Leonard said that he and Paul George wanted to create their own legacy, but bringing a championship to the Clippers would be a far grueling task compared to the journey he had with the Raptors.

It’s widely accepted that the only reason the Raptors won in the finals was due to Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson getting sidelined. Indeed, Thompson was having another explosive night in game six when he landed awkwardly during a play in the last three minutes of the third quarter. But that is neither here nor there. The NBA has considerably changed since last season, and Kawhi Leonard is navigating a different ship this time.

Threatening to sink that ship are multiple teams who are also sporting heavy superstars in their respective rosters. The pairing of LeBon James and Anthony Davis alone is enough to make Kawhi Leonard’s new task a daunting one to accomplish.

Add the fact that the Rockets, Nuggets, and Jazz have also shored up their respective lineup and the uphill climb becomes even steeper. And that’s not accounting the eastern powers of the east. But Kawhi Leonard seems determined to bring the Clippers their first title and that determination will be tested soon.

With 2019-2020 season kicking off this October, fans are already excited how the current NBA landscape will settle itself, especially with multiple superteams standing on even footing. Sure, Kevin Durant and Thompson are still injured, but the aforementioned teams will not simply lay down and give way to the Clippers. Hopefully, Kawhi Leonard playing for his hometown provide a much-needed energy boost to the talented forward and give him peace of mind as he gears up for a mission that may make or break the Clippers desired championship run.