Kawhi Leonard Nears Raptors Extension: What It Means for Fantasy
Leonard is closing in on a two-year extension likely worth under $100M, and it locks in a top-10 fantasy forward — if his body cooperates.
Elite when he plays, but load management caps his ceiling — target the discount.
- Kawhi earns $50.3M this season, final year of deal
- Max extension: 2 years, $126M — Toronto wants under $100M
- 2025-26: 27.9 PPG, 45.9 FPTS/G in 65 games
- New agent Harrison Gaines handling talks
- Extension runs through age 38
Kawhi Leonard and the Raptors are reportedly deep into talks on a contract extension, with the two sides nearing an agreement. Leonard is set to earn $50.3 million this season in the final year of his current deal, and he's eligible for a max extension worth two years and $126 million — though Toronto is expected to push the number below $100 million rather than commit big money to a 35-year-old with a long injury history.
The negotiations were always on the docket but got shelved while the league's investigation ran its course. Notably, Leonard's business is now being handled by a new agent, Harrison Gaines of SLASH Sports, after longtime advisor Dennis Robertson was banned from league dealings for five years. Leonard has said he wants Toronto to be his final stop, which points squarely at a two-year deal that carries him to age 38.
Why This Matters On The Court
When Kawhi is upright, he's still a monster. Last season (2025-26) he put up 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists across 65 games, shooting 38.7% from three while anchoring the defense. Pair that with Scottie Barnes — who logged 18.1 points, 7.5 boards and 5.9 assists over 80 games in 2025-26 — and Toronto has two forwards capable of dragging them into the East's top four.
The catch is availability, and everyone knows it. The organization and its fans are already resigned to a season built around recovery and scheduled rest, with the goal of hitting that 65-game threshold again and having Kawhi fresh for the playoffs. That's smart for the franchise. It's a headache for fantasy managers who need bodies on the floor.
The Fantasy Fallout
Leonard sits at our No. 9 overall rank (No. 4 at forward), and he averaged 45.9 fantasy points per game last season (2025-26) — genuinely elite per-game production. But his last five games came in at 8.7 fantasy points below his season average, a reminder that his floor wobbles when he's managing his body. Barnes, our No. 20 overall (No. 7 at forward) at 42.1 FPTS/G in 2025-26, is the safer volume play precisely because he actually suits up.
The extension doesn't change the math much: you're drafting elite upside with a per-game tax and a ton of DNPs baked in. If a nervous manager in your league is spooked by the load-management chatter, that's your window — buy low on Kawhi as a per-game monster, but draft him assuming 60-ish games, not 82, and make sure your bench can cover the rest days.
