Examining an attempt to exonerate Kawhi Leonard at the Spurs’ expense

I was late to it, but I eagerly read Ric Bucher’s Nov. 14 feature provocatively titled “Free from ‘San Antonio Mafia,’ Kawhi Leonard is all the Raptors hoped for,” looking to gain some new clarity as to why the whole messy breakup happened in the first place.

Unfortunately, I can’t say I learned anything. It turns out that the story has little to say about Kawhi’s tenure in San Antonio and why it ended. It’s instead an attempt to present Leonard as a victim, unfairly maligned by the Spurs after his trade request and now thriving in the north.