Hmm, lemme just point out the obvious first.
When Kawhi was traded, he didn't choose to go to.....Toronto, he was banished there. Of course he's buying a house there.
But, he just spent 13 million on a house where, get this, he actually wants to live.
There is no indication Kawhi wants to stay in Canada, who would blame him if he left? He doesn't owe the Raptors anything but this year and rightly so. The Spurs shipped him off to NBA Siberia on account of everything that transpired last year as punishment and the Raptors were suckers for falling for it.
Two hours from the Staple center? Is that too long to drive for a max contract now? Lol
Banished? Lol
Actually, it’s far from a formality that players purchase a house. Often times, probably more often than not, they either lease a condo or long term rental at one of the luxury hotels downtown. Players that sign long term are more inclined to purchase. While it doesn’t mean anything, it seemed odd of Kawhi based on what’s typical of the situation.
The Spurs took the best offer. The Raptors went for broke to get a significantly better player on a team that’d reached its ceiling. A rebuild was on the horizon anyway. Whether it started with Lowry/Derozan’s inevitable departure after another failure, or going for broke with a move like this, that core wasn’t going to get the job done. This years version at least has a better chance.
2 hours from work is an unreasonable commute for a pro athlete. You’re implying his purchase is an indicator of where he also wants to work next year but that’s only relevant if the home is in close proximity to Staples.
You calling Toronto Siberia only further speaks to your ignorance. The thoughts towards Toronto as an NBA market have shifted over the past few years. The team has been good, city is world class, organization is well run with top flight facilities, rolling in cash, and the fan base is arguably the best in the league. Your opinion is from 2005.
I’m still not overly optimistic he’ll stay, but if you’ve been paying attention there’s certainly more reason now than ever. It’s gone almost as good as the Raptors could have hoped to this point.