The Toronto Raptors have been and continue to look for a running mate to pair alongside their star and face of the franchise, Scottie Barnes.
While Brandon Ingram was a worthy experiment that went relatively well, they’ve now pivoted, at least they hope, to the final years of Kawhi Leonard. The dream long-term target for fans, and perhaps even the organization, however, is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Hamilton, Ontario, native has established himself as one of the best players in the world in recent years, with MVPs, a Finals MVP, and an NBA championship to show for it. So what better idea than bringing him home when his player option comes up in 2030? It makes a lot of sense on the surface, but that’s still a long way away, and recent comments from Gilgeous-Alexander’s dad, Vaughn Alexander, suggest that he’s just fine where he is in Oklahoma City.
“You get me what I’m saying? I’m supposed to like be somewhere, you know, the nightlife, this, that, or Toronto where everybody’s gonna be on your ass, get me tickets, get me this, Shai that. He’s perfect where he is in OKC and I don’t think he’ll ever leave unless, you know, politics or something happens, right? You know how the NBA works. But when it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,”
The 28-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander’s four-year, $271.66 million contract extension he signed with the Thunder last July doesn’t even begin until 2027-28. He averaged 31.1 PPG, 6.6 APG, and 4.3 RPG in 68 games last season en route to his second MVP award.
So much can change between now and when Gilgeous-Alexander could become a free agent, but he’s in a great situation on a team that’s poised to be a title contender for a long time. Unless there’s a falling out or he truly has the itch to come home and play in Toronto, then his dad’s words will likely ring true.
At this point, the Raptors just need to focus on what’s going on with Leonard because we’re now almost a month removed from the trade being agreed upon and still have no answers when it comes to the investigation or whether the deal will ultimately go through.
