The Toronto Raptors ultimately failed to re-sign Kawhi Leonard as the superstar forward decided to head home and join the LA Clippers, and though there was speculation the Raptors were legitimate contenders in the Leonard sweepstakes, new reports suggest the team never stood a chance.
Leonard's camp - most notably his uncle, Dennis Robertson - made "unreasonable" requests during negotiations, a source told TSN's Josh Lewenberg.
Raptors president Masai Ujiri wouldn't have been capable of fulfilling some of the reportedly unusual requests, causing the organization to question if Leonard had any intent to re-sign, sources told Lewenberg.
Ujiri is among the most well-respected executives in the league and has proven his worth by turning the Raptors into a championship organization, regardless of the team's inability to re-sign Leonard. Asked about the process of dealing with Leonard's camp, Ujiri hinted the Finals MVP himself was the only one who was completely upfront during negotiations.
"I think he was," Ujiri said, according to Lewenberg. "Kawhi was."
Robertson gained a reputation of being difficult to deal with during Leonard's tenure with the San Antonio Spurs, as many pinned the three-time All-Star's sudden disappearance from the team on his uncle. As Leonard continued to distance himself from the Spurs, his relationship with the team eventually culminated in a trade demand - prompting the Raptors to swoop in and land him for the final year of his deal.
