“He’s been unbelievable - he’s the best player in the league,” Raptors president Masai Ujiri said of Leonard after the game, during the conference trophy presentation in front of the raucous home crowd.
Ujiri now looks like a genius after landing Leonard in a trade last July with the San Antonio Spurs alongside Danny Green for players including long-time Raptors forward DeMar DeRozan.
Hot Tickets
Tickets for the first two games of the finals -- Thursday and Sunday -- are already sold out at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. The cheapest tickets are going for about $699 on StubHub, while court-side seats can be had for up to $25,000.
Despite the offers of free real estate and food, Leonard is hardly in need of financial support. He already makes about $23 million in the final year of his five-year contract signed with San Antonio. According to ESPN, the Raptors will be able to offer Leonard a five-year, $190 million contract, while other teams might pitch a four-year, $141 million deal.
All the Kraft Dinner in the world may not be enough to keep him. Hailing originally from Los Angeles, he’s one of the most attractive free agents up for grabs this year. Few basketball pundits expect him to stay in Toronto, though he said little about his plans beyond this year.
Recent odds posted by SportsBetting.ag give Toronto fans some reason for hope: They list the Raptors as the team most likely to land Leonard for next year, followed by the Los Angeles Clippers and then the Lakers.
In the meantime, fans are savoring the moment.
“We want to do what we can to ensure that our MVP stays in Toronto where he is loved and respected for being the best of the best,” Mass said.
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.