Column: Kawhi Leonard makes mistake skipping Vegas

LAS VEGAS — This is a misstep for Kawhi Leonard.

He should be in Las Vegas.

The saga about his future is done and settled, at least for the next 12 months. He's with the Toronto Raptors. He got at least half of his wish fulfilled in that he's been traded out of San Antonio, even if it wasn't to his preferred Los Angeles. So there's no reason to still be silent, no reason to hide, no reason to remain as a now-international man of mystery.

Apparently, Leonard doesn't see it that way.

He declined an invitation to be with USA Basketball this week for its two-practice minicamp in Las Vegas, for reasons that only he truly knows. The semi-official story is that he's focused on preparing for his move to Toronto. OK, fair enough. It's a major event for anyone to pack up a home and move to a different country.

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But that's not enough to keep him out of this camp.

There are only three legitimate reasons why Leonard wouldn't be here. The first is that the leg injury that limited him to nine games last season has not healed sufficiently enough to allow him to play, a notion that should frighten the Raptors. The second he's just scared, a notion that should frighten the Raptors. The third is he doesn't care, a notion that should also frighten the Raptors.

He could have gotten a slew of things out of the way this week. Shown the world that he's fit enough to play again. Answered questions about his excitement level for the move to Toronto and why he wanted out of San Antonio. Had that awkward first post-trade interaction with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, the new USA Basketball coach. Closed a lot of chapters that need endings.

Instead, just more silence.

It's well-known that Leonard isn't a big talker. He hasn't updated his public Facebook page since 2012. He hasn't posted to Twitter since 2015. In this day and age, that's almost admirable on some level.

There will be a day, though, when Leonard will get asked the questions that he's apparently dreading. Maybe at Raptors media day in Toronto in a couple months. Maybe on those two days when the Raptors and Spurs play next season. Definitely on the trip when he has to go to San Antonio for the first time as an opponent.

If he's looking to avoid those, he's putting off the inevitable.

Leonard just turned 27 about a month ago. He likely isn't even near his prime yet and he's already been an NBA Finals MVP. His talent has been celebrated for years. If he is so inclined, he could have a spot on the 2020 Olympic team and likely come home from Tokyo with a gold medal. He might have been there in 2016 if he hadn't dropped out a month or so before the Rio Games began.

"This was a very difficult decision," Leonard said at the time. "It's an honor to have been considered for the team and I hope that in the future I will have the chance to represent my country by playing for USA Basketball."

That time is now.

Playing for your country is a big deal to people. Popovich, a graduate of the US Air Force Academy, said it's bigger than the NBA. His predecessor as US coach, Mike Krzyzewski, went to West Point. Blake Griffin, one of the many All-Stars playing in camp, said it's "a pride thing" to show up and compete. Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving weren't playing, but they were there to show their face and show support.

Leonard could have at least done that much.

Let's be clear, Leonard is not the only invitee who isn't at camp. LeBron James isn't here. Nor are Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Nor are about 10 other guys who got asked to attend.

Popovich, who said last week he looked forward to seeing Leonard in Las Vegas, wasn't bothered by the no-shows.

"People have lives," Popovich said. "We had a good number of people here and the people who were invited that aren't here have reasons, whether it's injury or personal things going on in their lives. And we understand that."

James said he had a hand injury during the NBA Finals, has since signed with the Los Angeles Lakers and is focusing more on himself and his family right now than anything else.

Curry and Thompson have gone to the finals in each of the last four seasons and probably want some serious downtime.

But Leonard, well, it's unclear why he's not here.

Whatever his reason, it's not a good look for him.