Toronto Raptors: 3 big questions heading into 2018-19 NBA season

1. Can the Raptors convince Kawhi to sign long-term?

When Toronto pulled the trigger on the Kawhi Leonard trade, it was with the understanding that with just one year left on his contract, there was no guarantee he’d be a Raptor beyond this upcoming season.

Coupled with his reported desire to be a Los Angeles Laker and the Raptors are really taking a risk with this deal.

Many players have stated their love for the city of Toronto, and yet none have been willing to make it their permanent home, instead, enjoying it on the occasional road trip during the season.

It may be a great place with a passionate fan base and plenty to do, but it is the polar opposite of LA, making it a tough sell for a guy who grew up in the sun.

There is hope for the Raptors, though.

Paul George was originally expected to be a Laker this summer after a year playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder, but general manager Sam Presti and the rest of the organization clearly left an impression on PG, enough to get him to sign a four-year deal.

Sure, that may be considered an outlier in the grand scheme of free agent decisions, but it shows what the right type of culture can do to a player.

The recruitment of Kawhi won’t begin when free agency begins next July. Rather, like OKC, it begins the moment Leonard lands up north, trying to convince him Toronto is where he should want to be, and the Raptors the team he should want to play for.