Editing Toronto Raptors (section)

====2018–2019: First championship season====
Toronto's roster underwent two major changes during the [[2018–19 Toronto Raptors season|2018–19 season]]. First, on July 18, DeRozan was traded, along with [[Jakob Pöltl]] and a protected 2019 first-round draft pick, to the [[San Antonio Spurs]] in exchange for [[Kawhi Leonard]] and [[Danny Green (basketball)|Danny Green]].<ref name="trade">{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/spurs/spurs-obtain-demar-derozan-jakob-poeltl-and-first-round-pick-raptors-exchange-kawhi-leonard-and|title=Spurs obtain Demar DeRozan, Jacob Poeltl and first round pick from raptors in exchange for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green|website=www.nba.com|publisher=NBA Media Ventures|date=July 18, 2018|access-date=July 18, 2018|archive-date=June 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190606033707/https://www.nba.com/spurs/spurs-obtain-demar-derozan-jakob-poeltl-and-first-round-pick-raptors-exchange-kawhi-leonard-and|url-status=live}}</ref> Leonard was a two-time All-Star and two-time [[NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award|Defensive Player of the Year]], but owing to the short length of his contract, there was uncertainty over his longer-term future with the franchise.<ref name="wsj">{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/kawhi-leonard-toronto-raptors-rest-plan-11557321327|last=Cohen|first=Ben|title=Kawhi Leonard Spent the NBA Season Hibernating. Now He's Dominating|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=May 28, 2019|date=May 8, 2019|archive-date=November 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191113131924/https://www.wsj.com/articles/kawhi-leonard-toronto-raptors-rest-plan-11557321327|url-status=live}}</ref> Secondly, during the trade deadline, the Raptors traded [[Jonas Valančiūnas]], [[Delon Wright]], [[C. J. Miles]], and a 2024 second-round draft pick to the [[Memphis Grizzlies]] for [[Marc Gasol]]—another multiple All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year—and signed [[Jeremy Lin]] shortly thereafter.<ref>{{cite news|title=Raptors close deal for Marc Gasol|url=https://www.nba.com/article/2019/02/07/marc-gasol-toronto-raptors-report-trade|publisher=NBA Media Ventures|website=www.nba.com|date=February 7, 2019|access-date=May 13, 2019|archive-date=February 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209230645/http://www.nba.com/article/2019/02/07/marc-gasol-toronto-raptors-report-trade|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tsn.ca/raptors-get-gasol-from-grizzlies-1.1253844|title=Raptors get Gasol from Grizzlies - TSN.ca|date=February 7, 2019|website=TSN|access-date=February 12, 2019|archive-date=July 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190729193513/https://www.tsn.ca/raptors-get-gasol-from-grizzlies-1.1253844|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Raptors Sign Jeremy Lin |url=https://www.nba.com/raptors/press-release/raptors-sign-jeremy-lin |access-date=February 18, 2019 |website=www.nba.com |date=February 13, 2019 |archive-date=February 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214054313/https://www.nba.com/raptors/press-release/raptors-sign-jeremy-lin |url-status=live }}</ref> The Raptors got off to a 6–0 start, a franchise record.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/raptors/2018/10/26/raptors-stop-mavericks-for-franchise-best-start-at-6-0.html|last=Armstrong|first=Laura|title=Raptors stop Mavericks for franchise-best start at 6-0|work=Toronto Star|publisher=Torstar Corporation|access-date=November 10, 2018|date=October 26, 2018|archive-date=March 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327091332/https://www.thestar.com/sports/raptors/2018/10/26/raptors-stop-mavericks-for-franchise-best-start-at-6-0.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Winning their 16th game on November 23, the Raptors broke their franchise record for the best start through 20 games with a 16–4 record.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/nba/kawhi-leonard-leads-raptors-win-wizards/|title=Kawhi Leonard leads Raptors to win over Wizards|date=November 23, 2018|access-date=November 24, 2018|publisher=Rogers Digital Media|work=Sportsnet|archive-date=November 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124220037/https://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/nba/kawhi-leonard-leads-raptors-win-wizards/|url-status=live}}</ref> They reached the 20-win mark quicker than any time in their history when they won the 24th game of their season on December 1 against the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] in Cleveland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4720294/leonard-raptors-eighth-straight-win/|title=Leonard leads Raptors to victory over Cavaliers in eighth straight win|work=Global News|last=Withers|first=Tom|publisher=Corus Entertainment Inc.|date=December 2, 2018|access-date=December 3, 2018|archive-date=July 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717184017/https://globalnews.ca/news/4720294/leonard-raptors-eighth-straight-win/|url-status=live}}</ref> On January 13, 2019, the Toronto Raptors broke the record for most points scored in franchise history after beating the [[Washington Wizards]] in Washington 140–138 points after double overtime.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20190113/TORWAS|title=Toronto Raptors vs. Washington Wizards - January 13, 2019|website=www.nba.com|access-date=January 23, 2019|archive-date=January 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123224127/http://www.nba.com/games/20190113/TORWAS|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:1 kawhi leonard 2019 nba finals.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Kawhi Leonard]] prepares to take a [[free throw]] during Game 2 of the [[2019 NBA Finals|2019 Finals]]]]
Despite resting Leonard for more than 20 games due to his injury from the previous season, the Raptors finished the regular season with the second seed in the East, and the second-best record in the league behind the [[Milwaukee Bucks]].<ref name=wsj/> The Raptors faced the [[Orlando Magic]] in the first round of the [[2019 NBA playoffs|2019 playoffs]], defeating them in five games.<ref>{{cite news |title=2019 NBA Eastern Conference First Round Magic vs. Raptors |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2019-nba-eastern-conference-first-round-magic-vs-raptors.html |access-date=May 26, 2019 |website=basketball-reference.com |archive-date=July 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190729120512/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2019-nba-eastern-conference-first-round-magic-vs-raptors.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In the following round, the Raptors defeated the [[Philadelphia 76ers]] in a tightly contested seven-game series. In the closing seconds of Game 7 with the game tied, Leonard hit the game-winning 15-foot buzzer-beater to lift the Raptors to a 92–90 victory—the first Game 7 [[buzzer-beater]] in NBA playoff history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26735155/kawhi-ousts-sixers-unprecedented-shot|title=Kawhi ousts Sixers with unprecedented shot|work=ESPN.com|date=May 12, 2019|access-date=May 12, 2019|archive-date=November 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104173245/https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26735155/kawhi-ousts-sixers-unprecedented-shot|url-status=live}}</ref> They went on to face the Bucks in the [[NBA Conference Finals|Eastern Conference Finals]]. After losing the first two games in Milwaukee, Toronto won the next four, advancing to the [[2019 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]] for the first time in franchise history, and their opponents were the two-time defending champions [[Golden State Warriors]].<ref>{{cite news |title=2019 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Raptors vs. Bucks |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2019-nba-eastern-conference-finals-raptors-vs-bucks.html |access-date=May 26, 2019 |website=basketball-reference.com |archive-date=July 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190701123940/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2019-nba-eastern-conference-finals-raptors-vs-bucks.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The Warriors, which were making their fifth consecutive finals appearance and featured multiple All-Stars, including [[Splash Brothers]] [[Stephen Curry]] (son of former Raptor [[Dell Curry]]) and [[Klay Thompson]], were favourites to win.<ref>{{cite news |title=Golden State Warriors Favored To Win NBA Finals In 5 Or 6 Games; Steph Curry MVP Favorite |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamzagoria/2019/05/29/golden-state-warriors-favored-to-win-nba-finals-in-5-or-6-games-steph-curry-taking-mvp/#adbdf5f51a03 |access-date=June 8, 2019 |website=forbes.com |archive-date=June 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608131816/https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamzagoria/2019/05/29/golden-state-warriors-favored-to-win-nba-finals-in-5-or-6-games-steph-curry-taking-mvp/#adbdf5f51a03 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the Raptors earned their first championship by defeating the Warriors 4–2, with Leonard being named Finals MVP.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/13/sports/warriors-raptors.html|title=How the Raptors Won Their First N.B.A. Championship|work=The New York Times|date=June 13, 2019|access-date=June 13, 2019|archive-date=November 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122224913/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/13/sports/warriors-raptors.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In doing so, the Raptors became the first team based outside the United States to win the NBA title (and the [[Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy]]) and the first team based outside the United States to win a championship in any of the [[Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada|four major North American sports leagues]] since the [[Toronto Blue Jays]] won the [[World Series]] in [[1993 World Series|1993]]<!--the Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series a few months after the Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup-->, ending a 25-year-long drought from Canada-based major professional sports teams.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rush |first1=Curtis |title=Toronto Raptors Are Kings Of The NBA And The Toast Of Canada |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/curtisrush/2019/06/14/toronto-raptors-are-kings-of-the-nba-and-the-toast-of-canada |website=Forbes |access-date=June 14, 2019 |date=June 13, 2019 |archive-date=June 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190614074105/https://www.forbes.com/sites/curtisrush/2019/06/14/toronto-raptors-are-kings-of-the-nba-and-the-toast-of-canada/ |url-status=live }}</ref>