Counterfactuals are a popular topic in sports talk shows and social media debates, but they can sometimes be fun to ponder. For example, what if the Toronto Raptors did not trade DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard before the 2018-19 season, when LeBron James finally headed West? Kawhi’s hire helped the Raptors win their first NBA title in franchise history, but could DeRozan have done the same? Stephen A. Smith seemed to agree on ESPN First Take, as he discussed the idea with the Kings’ new swingman.
Smith starts the conversation by saying that DeMar DeRozan would have led the Raptors to the NBA title if he had stayed, because their only obstacle was LeBron. During the 2018 playoffs, Bron even earned the nickname “LeBronto” for sweeping almost single-handedly the Raptors despite a vastly inferior Cleveland Cavaliers team.
“For sure, I definitely feel that way. The only person we couldn’t beat was LeBron,” DeRozan admitted via ClutchPoints on X, formerly Twitter. “That’s exactly what happened, and I felt like, compared to the year before, we just needed one more piece to push us over the top, and that piece happened to be LeBron going West. You know, and I didn’t get to see what would have happened, but with the utmost confidence in myself, I have no doubt in my mind that the same outcome would have happened.”
The Raptors’ 2019 Playoff Journey

If it were true that LeBron James goes to the Lakers opened up the East for the Raptors to take, they weren’t like the 2001 Lakers Team or whatever. Even with Kawhi Leonard, the team faced adversity on its way to the championship.
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For example, the Philadelphia 76ers would have eliminated them in the second round if it weren’t for Leonard’s Miraculous Goal in Game 7the ball bouncing around the basket before finally falling back down and capping off a magnificent 41-point performance. In the conference finals, the Milwaukee Bucks also took a 2-0 lead thanks to an ascending Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Their biggest obstacle was the Big Four Warriors, although four straight finals appearances took their toll on their stars. Still, some fans say that if Kevin Durant never tore his Achilles tendon and Klay Thompson had never torn his ACL in Games 5 and 6, respectively, the series would have gone the opposite direction.
Was LeBron James’ absence really the only reason DeMar DeRozan couldn’t win an NBA title with the Raptors? Or was it simply the fact that Kawhi Leonard was a better two-way player and the last piece the team needed to turn the tide?