NBA 2018-19: Why Kawhi Leonard should not play in the 2019 NBA All-Star game

The Raptors are currently 18-4 for the season. The future looks bright and with Kawhi Leonard, as a member of the roster, an NBA Finals appearance is a possibility, to end the Raptors 2018-19 season.

With LeBron James out of the Eastern Conference, playing out West for Los Angeles and the Boston Celtics not playing consistent basketball, the Raptors, who have been a playoff team the last five years, may not have a clearer path to represent the East ,in the NBA finals, than right now.

However, there is one major concern threatening the Raptors path to glory and it’s the health of Kawhi Leonard. He missed 73 games last season for San Antonio and forced a trade to Toronto for DeMar DeRozan. The Raptors do not have a long-term contractual commitment from Leonard, as he can opt out of his deal, in July 2019, and sign elsewhere.

Not only do the Raptors have a good chance to appear in the NBA Finals, in 2019, but there is also pressure to maximize the efforts, of Leonard, before his potential or imminent departure, from Toronto.

Leonard may, in the end, stay, in Toronto, long-term, but the Toronto Raptors management are aware their time for success is now. Leonard has been eased into the Raptors line-up and missed games, that would be too close to each other, like back to backs, in an effort to keep him healthy.

A major question at this stage is should he play in the February 17, 2019 All-Star Game if he is voted or selected to the East Roster? The answer should be no, but, of course, the choice will be made, by Kawhi Leonard. The main reasons he should not play in the 2019 NBA All-Star Game are.

#1 Leonard may not be 100% healthy

Leonard has missed five of Toronto’s 22 games, so far, this season. He doesn’t play, in what might appear to be the easier of back to back games, or certain games when there is a block of 3 games, in 5 nights.

He has played 35 plus minutes, in the Raptors last two wins, but, with a deep roster, and a potential short window, to be successful, with Leonard, head coach Nick Nurse is probably under orders, from general manager Bobby Webster and team president Massai Ujiri, to manage Leonard’s minutes.

As the season develops, it might be expected that Leonard will be allowed to just play games, if he is fully healthy. If that were the case now, one has to believe Leonard would have declared himself fit and would play every game.

While he is a bit of an introverted personality, he needs to play well, play a significant number of games and solidify his top five player ranking to also secure potential future contractual earnings. If the managing of the number of games and minutes continue, for Leonard, late into the season or right up to the All-Star game, even if Leonard attends the event, he should not play.

#2 To prove his respect and commitment to the Toronto Raptors

If Kawhi Leonard cannot play for the Raptors, in games that matter, to playoff and lottery pick ranking or games he is actually contractually paid to play, the All-Star Game should be a spectator event for him.

An example of this is Jimmy Butler. At last year’s All-Star Game, he did not play. Butler was returning to the Timberwolves line- up, in January, after nagging injuries and felt he needed the All-Star break to rest and heal his body. He attended the event but did not play. Jimmy Butler is viewed as a somewhat selfish personality, who thinks of himself first and he realized he needed the rest.

The optics of not playing for the franchise that pays you and then performing in a spectacle, for the fans, like the All-Star game are bad. Leonard’s situation is perhaps more high profile than Jimmy Butler. While Butler was an important performer for Minnesota last year, the Toronto Raptors hopes, of a deep playoff run, lie at the feet of Kawhi Leonard.

While the All-Star Game is a way to honor the fans for putting their faith in certain players, its not how players how or when the players earn their contracts. In Leonard’s situation, if he is still missing games in January or early February, of 2019, for health maintenance, he should not play in the 2019 All-Star game to demonstrate his commitment and respect for the Raptors organization.

#3 Raptors management should have a say in whether or not Kawhi Leonard plays at the 2019 All-Star game

Raptors team president Masai Ujiri and general manager Bobby Webster should have final say, in whether or not Kawhi Leonard plays in the 2019 All-Star Game. In the summer, of 2018, the Raptors management team made a huge decision to sacrifice the team’s best player and Raptors’ loyalist, DeMar DeRozan, to make the team better, in acquiring Kawhi Leonard.

If an injury develops shortly after the All-Star game, to Kawhi Leonard, that affects his ability to finish out the season or represent the Raptors in the playoffs, the Raptors future would not look very bright. In trading DeRozan and Poeltl, the Raptors obtained Danny Green, whose contract ends this summer, and Kawhi Leonard, who is expected to opt out of his deal this summer and play elsewhere.

Therefore, this season and the 2019 playoffs need to be successful, for the Raptors management. If Green and Leonard, are dissatisfied, in anyway, with the Raptors organization, the Raptors wind up, with nothing to show, for DeRozan.

However, if the dream of winning the NBA title occurs and or just a Finals appearance, the departure, of Leonard, and or Green is more palatable. Under no circumstances should management take a chance. If Leonard will listen, Raptor management should not suggest that its okay for their star to play, in the 2019 All-Star game.

From the management’s perspective, Leonard’s immediate goals should be staying or getting healthy, playing as many regular season games, as possible this year, and the 2019 NBA playoffs. The 2019 NBA All-Star Game is not a Raptors' priority, in the immediate future.

In the end, Leonard has to be voted or selected to the All-Star roster, for the Eastern Conference, and the decision to play will be his. If he plays in the All-Star Game, in Charlotte, on February 17th, 2019, Raptors fans can only hope it means Leonard is fully recovered from last year’s injury problems.

Raptors fans though may remember, in 2002, Vince Carter missing the remainder of the season after developing jumpers knee shortly after the All-Star game, that year. The Raptors nearly missed the playoffs with a long losing streak, as a result, of the Carter injury. The Raptors did salvage a playoff spot, in 2002, by, winning 12 of their final 14 games.

All-Star weekend is a sort of mid-season vacation, for the players. For players nursing injuries or trying to fight off the effects, of nagging injuries, should use the break, as a way, to heal and rest. Winning the MVP at the All-Star Game or performing the best dunk does not help build team chemistry or advance a player’s team aspirations for the playoffs.

If the player is hurt, in a meaningless event. The real reason why this matter is the All-Star weekend is a collection of the best players, in the game, and those players individually represent the success of many franchises, in the NBA, when they play, or the failures of those franchises when they can’t.