There was some discussion on one of the TV panels that a short term deal lets the player keep leverage over the team. They point to James who signed a longer term deal with the Lakers and maybe has less influence on the team. This doesn’t speak to why Toronto vs elsewhere, just why a short term deal makes sense for some players.
Don’t underestimate the impact of load management. The approach Toronto took with Kawhi seems to be pretty controversial in some circles, following his apparently controversial sitting out most of last season. The fact that the Raptors did this and presumably could again has to be a positive factor for him.
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