Toronto Raptors: 3 players facing the most pressure in 2018-19
1. Kawhi Leonard
Who isn’t putting pressure on Kawhi Leonard right now?
Toronto fans and the front office are pressuring Leonard to validate their decision to trade for him, simultaneously trading away a beloved superstar in DeRozan.
NBA fans are pressuring Leonard to prove that the questions surrounding his mysterious absence last season won’t affect the career of someone with the stuff to be a contemporary great.
Heck, Leonard and his team are probably pressuring him to redeem his lost season and earn the fat paycheck that should be coming his way nine months from now.
To his credit, Leonard seems to be taking it all in stride, laughing like a reincarnation of the Terminator.
https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1044242891592409088
When the regular season starts and Leonard faces his first bit of adversity in Toronto, the laughter will quickly fade into a chorus of questions. Is he still a superstar? Will he get a max deal? Was Toronto right to mortgage its present on such a big question mark? Just what is Kawhi Leonard in today’s NBA?
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Leonard is equipped to handle those questions. He’s going to get them in every city the team goes to though, exemplifying just how much pressure he’s under this season.