How player options shape the NBA rosters

#3 Kawhi Leonard: 5 year $90 million dollar contract Opt Out June 2019

The Toronto Raptors made a game-changing deal in the summer of 2018 when they acquired top-five talent in Kawhi Leonard and veteran Danny Green for DeMar DeRozan, Jacob Poeltl and a 1st round draft pick. The upside is Leonard, when healthy, is an MVP quality type player and has won an NBA championship in San Antonio along-side Danny Green. Leonard was also the MVP in that NBA championship back in 2014.

The problem with the deal was after missing 73 games last year the Raptors had no guarantee Leonard would return to form of previous seasons and even want to play in Toronto in the here and now much less the future. For his part, Kawhi Leonard has been spectacular in Toronto. In 31 games this season he has recorded a scoring average of 27.1 points, 2.9 assists and 8 rebounds per game. He is shooting 49.9% from the field.

However, star point guard Kyle Lowry is missing games and already is 32 years old and struggling through back troubles right now. Should Leonard opt out of his contract, the Raptors will have a humongous roster spot to fill come July 1st, 2019 if they cannot convince Leonard to come back. Further hampering the hopes for the Raptors is that Toronto has never been a hot bed destination for top NBA free agents. The Raptors greatest free agent signings are quite possibly Hedo Turkoglu and DeMarre Carroll.