Three reasons why Kawhi Leonard will join the LA Clippers this summer

There’s no unfinished business

There’s an argument to be made that Kawhi Leonard winning a title with the Toronto Raptors could actually be beneficial for the LA Clippers, and that’s part of what I’m going to be laying out here.

Here’s the idea: What would make you want to return to something more? Winning a championship? Or getting as close as possible to achieving that goal and then crumbling at the doorstep?

Leonard did everything he could in his first season with Toronto — he led the Raptors to the league’s second-best record, helped navigate the team through one of the more competitive Eastern Conferences we’ve seen in recent years, hit one of the most incredible game-winners in league history, won a championship and was named Finals MVP. What else is there to do?

He could, of course, decide to return to Toronto and run it back in hopes of winning back-to-back titles — and no one would blame him for that, either. But why not try to do the same thing somewhere else?

One of Leonard’s biggest factors in making his decision this summer will likely have to do with his chances to win another title. More than anything, the three-time All-Star wants to compete, and the Clippers are nearly set up to be a title contender for years to come.

With a tough, young core led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Landry Shamet, title-driven veterans like Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams and arguably the best bench in the league, the Clippers are very close to becoming a real threat to the rest of the NBA.

All they really need at this point is a player like Leonard. And if he’s keen on making more history, the LA Clippers may be the best destination.