Now that Kawhi Leonard's move to the Raptors is official, the East will look a whole lot different next season than it did just a year ago. Last season, Detroit's very own Cade Cunningham stood tall as the best player in the conference during the regular season (at least according to All-NBA and MVP voting). But he will have plenty of foes, including Leonard, who are more than capable of snatching that title from him next season.
Kawhi is a dominant force when healthy
Even last season, some would argue that Kawhi was around Cade's level in the regular season because of his insane scoring. Leonard averaged 28 points per game while shooting 50% from the field and 39% from three. Not only was Leonard extremely efficient while scoring a ton, but he also created most of his looks without much help.
Over 60% of Kawhi's shots last season were unassisted, highlighting his elite shot creation. No matter how tight a defense plays against him, Kawhi is able to get his shot off. That was most evident when he played the Pistons and dropped a career-high 55 points in December. In that game, Kawhi showed the Pistons' young defensive studs that they still have another level to reach if they want to slow down a scorer of his caliber.
Leonard also remained a strong defender last season, despite the shifting Clippers team around him. The team's defensive rating without him on the court was 3 points worse than when he played. On top of his usual lockdown 1-on-1 ability, Leonard also continued to force turnovers; he averaged nearly 2 steals per game.
Kawhi played 65 games last season and didn't suffer any major injuries to end his campaign. He will be 35 next season, but the Raptors give him an opportunity to alleviate pressure on defense. They have other younger players to handle tough assignments on that end. If Kawhi can put together another similar season on a better team in Toronto, he'll be contending to be the best player in the East.
Cade has other challengers too
Of course, Kawhi is not the only one who will contend with Cade for that crown. Arguably the top-rated East player going into next season is Jalen Brunson, thanks to his playoff heroics and championship run. Cade had a great playoff run himself but his team fell short of expectations, which has been docked against him compared to Brunson.
Elsewhere in the East, returning stars with healthy seasons could upend the balance of power in the conference. For example, Jayson Tatum will have a fully healthy season after playing in just 16 games last season off an Achilles injury. And Giannis Antetokounmpo will also stake his claim on a new team after playing just 36 games last season.
Cade has a daunting road ahead of him for being the best player in his conference, but his all-around game still gives him a shot. Even with all the great players I named, none can match Cade's blend of scoring, playmaking and defense.
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