Kawhi Leonard says he isn’t returning to take Raptors from Scottie Barnes

Kawhi Leonard is back in Toronto. He apparently has no interest in taking the deed from Scottie Barnes.

“I’m not here to take over anything,” Leonard said during an appearance on the Raptors’ Open Gym. “I just want to win. I want to help Scottie. If it’s Scottie’s team, it’s his team.”

That is an interesting declaration from a two-time NBA Finals MVP who delivered the only championship in Raptors history. It is also probably the right one.

Barnes has grown into Toronto’s franchise cornerstone since Leonard left in 2019. Leonard, now 35, wasn’t acquired to interrupt that development or begin a debate over whose face belongs on the billboard. He was acquired because he remains one of the NBA’s best players when available and knows exactly what winning in Toronto requires.

The Raptors officially reacquired Leonard from the Clippers after the deal spent more than two months in limbo because of the NBA’s salary-cap investigation. Leonard was fined $700,000 but avoided a suspension or the voiding of his contract, a result Shams Charania attributed partly to the league lacking an airtight case.

Now comes the basketball part. Leonard doesn’t need to reclaim the Raptors from Barnes. He simply needs to make them better.

Toronto can call it Scottie’s team. Nobody will mind if Kawhi is still taking the biggest shots.