Honestly does it need to? I’m playing D&D, not MtG. At this point we have one MtG inspired setting with Leonin, another setting can always modify the stats or create a subrace.
Look at how many Elf sub races exist after all.
Obviously there is a significant overlap in the Venn diagram of D&D players and MtG players, but a Leonin is representing the archetype of “Lion-Man” for D&D.
So my consideration of the race is limited to, does it fulfill it’s D&D role well.
MtG thematic concerns are external to this, in my opinion.
Honestly, it is, in my opinion a secondary consideration for Magic the Gathering as well,
A MtG card with beautiful artwork, evocative flavor text, and weak mechanics is most likely not going into my competition deck.