A lot of people expected Kawhi Leonard to re-sign with Toronto.
Raptors president Masai Ujiri said he was confident.
But Leonard – in an unprecedentedly painful moment for a defending NBA champion – left for the Clippers.
Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun:
Masai on Kawhi negotiations. Was Kawhi up front: "I think he was. Kawhi was … (long pause)."
— Ryan Wolstat (@WolstatSun) July 10, 2019
Was asked if anybody wasn't:
" Ha, either way ... I know what we’re dealing with here and I appreciate what the process was and I know free agency, I know how it works ... "
Ujiri might not have intended to imply anything.
But that sounds like a dig at someone.
The immediate guess: Leonard’s agent and uncle, Dennis Robertson. Robertson has been a mysterious figure through this whole saga that began with Leonard separating from the Spurs.
However, Ujiri was also reportedly negotiating with the Thunder about trading for Paul George and maybe Russell Westbrook. Maybe Ujiri meant something related to that.
Or maybe he didn’t mean anything at all.
But if he’s frustrated with someone, Ujiri is right not to dwell on it. After all, he just made DeMar DeRozan believe he wouldn’t be traded then dealt him for Leonard. This business can get ugly. Ujiri has to take the downs with the ups.