Fred Van Vleet recently shared his thoughts on his former teammate and NBA veteran Kawhi Leonard returning to the Toronto Raptors.
Kawhi Leonard’s return to the Toronto Raptors has been one of the biggest stories this offseason. Following the conclusion of the NBA’s investigation into the Aspiration saga, Leonard was traded from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and five draft picks.
Now, his old teammate Fred Van Vleet has weighed in on the situation, according to Hoops Hype.
“I mean listen, they didn’t get worse,” he said. “They didn’t get worse, I am excited for the city. I am excited for the organization. It’s good to see Kawhi back and they will be a damn good team especially in the East, they gonna be a tough outing.”
“They didn’t get worse” 🤣. Fred Van Vleet on his 2019 championship teammate with the Raptors Kawhi Leonard, going back to the organization. #raptors #kawhileonard @Hard Rock Bet pic. twitter. com/Uzn3Y22y8K
– Hoop There It Is (@Hoop There It Is__) September 19, 2026
Van Vleet was a key player on the 2019 Raptors team that won it all. Leonard not only guided Toronto to their first title but also earned his second Finals MVP by averaging 30.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game throughout those playoffs.
During this period, Van Vleet was rising as a star for Toronto himself, averaging about 11 points, 4.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game. He got an up-close look at what exactly Leonard contributes on the court.
Kawhi is often recognized as one of basketball’s best two-way players ever and has maintained an elite level of play even in his late thirties-a crucial factor that Toronto will rely on next season.
Despite some off-court drama last season, Leonard had a productive year with the Clippers while appearing in 65 regular-season games where he averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.
The Raptors now boast not just a talented young core but also veteran leadership that can help elevate them further after losing to Cleveland in round one of last year’s playoffs.
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