Three major concerns about Kawhi Leonard 's return to the Raptors, including his adaptation with Scottie Barnes

== sync, corrected by elderman == @elder_man

The origin: the exchange that brought Kawhi back

Kawhi Leonard was officially announced as a Toronto Raptors player last week, capping an operation that changed the Canadian franchise's status in the Eastern Conference.

But the transfer carried a shadow: the salary cap circumvention scandal that surrounded Leonard recently.

The agreement: two years and US$ 115 million until 2028-29

On Tuesday, according to ESPN, Leonard and the Raptors sealed a two-year contract extension worth $25 million that runs through the 2019-20 season.

For the Raptors, a move was seen as necessary to establish themselves in an East suddenly crowded with prospects.

• 46 wins in the last regular season; and/or, if applicable, in the following seasons:
• Elimination only in game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs; and, uh...
• Top-five defense in the league, with a record average of Twenty-two stolen balls in one game . (forced turnovers); or, in the case of a large-scale market failure:
• Transition attack with 28.6 points a game Only the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls were better in that cutoff.

The fit: Barnes as Pippen and Ingram off the model

The logic of the operation is clear. 21.5 points a game But his methodical style clashed with a team that wants to play fast. Nine points worse for 100 possessions . with Ingram on the court, and he was exposed in the playoffs.

With Leonard as the alpha option in center court, Scottie Barnes rising star can naturally fill the role of "all-around Pippen", forming a superstar duo + second All-NBA level name.

The three remaining doubts

One, the health of Leonard. On the bright side, last season with the Los Angeles Clippers he had his most healthy regular-season campaign -- almost 28-6-4 with close to 50-40-90 innings. 65 gamesIn total, he appeared in fewer than six regular season games for the Clippers, missed 15 of 50 possible playoff games and totaled 119 outings over two (non-consecutive) seasons due to knee problems.

The overlap with Barnes. Last season, Barnes attempted almost 8 shots per game between 5 and 19 feet; Leonard, just over 8 in the same range.31% Of Barnes's throws came from short midrange (4-14 feet), versus32% Leonard. 6.8 attempts per game) something welcome on a team that finished in the bottom-five of three attempts and baskets.

Three, where RJ Barrett comes in. Barrett is a consistent scorer of 20 points and hit true-shooting percentage of 58,5% and But he's entering the final year of his contract, with a salary of... The amount of the guarantee shall be equal to the sum of: [0-5] %. This season, and has taken advantage of three points from 34% and 35% in the last two years. US$ 330 million Leonard, Barnes, Jakob Poeltl and Immanuel Quickley have been committed until the end of the season,2029 with Jamal Shead also becoming a free agent at the end. February So you don't lose it for free in the summer?

Where we are now

The deal is sealed and signed, but the adjustment phase is just beginning. The Raptors have casting, depth and a coach who will need to solve the math of pitching between Barnes, Leonard and Barrett while also managing their new star's injury history.