Kawhi Leonard has now put the entire salary cap circumvention scandal behind him, while the Los Angeles Clippers took most of the punishment.
Leonard is moving on to the Toronto Raptors, the team that traded for him two months ago, but decided to delay it until the NBA resolved its yearlong investigation into the Clippers.
Leonard was fined $700,000 by the NBA as restitution, but he was not suspended or forced to void his contract.
With everything now settled, at least on Leonard’s side of things, Leonard is reportedly waiting on a “juicy” contract extension with the Raptors.
“The Clips also aren’t winning anything notable in the near future, and the original Leonard trade agreement was an admission of that,” The Athletic’s John Hollinger said. “Finally, Leonard is in the final year of his deal in LA, and his trade value would die on the vine if the Clippers kept him. Meanwhile, he has a juicy extension waiting for him in Toronto once the deal consummates.”
Leonard currently has one year and $50.3 million remaining on his existing deal for the 2026-2027 season. Insider reports indicate that extension talks are anticipated to begin in Toronto as soon as the trade process is finalized.
Toronto Raptors Is The Biggest Winner In The Kawhi Leonard Saga
Hollinger added that the agreed-upon deal that would send Leonard to the Raptors is unlikely to be changed, despite the league’s resolution.
“Could Toronto try to turn the screws and ask LA to take less? Again, unlikely,” Hollinger said. “NBA deals are made on trust, and word quickly spreads about those who try to squirm out of completed agreements. Additionally, the Raptors aren’t exactly operating from a position of strength either; the rest of the offseason is over, and they have no Plan B to pivot to for 2026-27 if they can’t complete the Leonard trade.”
The NBA hit the Clippers with the largest punishment in league history, stripping them of five consecutive first-round draft picks spanning from 2029 to 2033, and ordered the franchise to pay a $30 million fine.
Additionally, team owner Steve Ballmer received a one-year suspension from all league and team activities, while top executives Gillian Zucker and Lawrence Frank were handed suspensions of one year and six months, respectively.
Kawhi Leonard Returns To A Youth-Laden Toronto Raptors
Meanwhile, Leonard is going back to the franchise he once led to an NBA championship in 2019 without much of a damage from the salary cap circumvention scandal.
In the agreed-upon trade, the Clippers would get Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2027 first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks for Leonard.
Leonard will see a youthful, revamped roster anchored by All-Star Scottie Barnes, Canadian swingman RJ Barrett, and dynamic point guard Immanuel Quickley in Toronto.
Kawhi will be integrated into a defensive system established by Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic, which ranked as the fifth-best in the NBA last season, where Leonard’s presence is expected to elevate them into a championship-contending unit.
Leonard will also provide a veteran presence for the Raptors’ youthful core that is anchored by Collin Murray-Boyles and Ja’Kobe Walter.
The Raptors were the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference last season, making it to the first round before losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games.
The team, however, will have to overcome an uphill battle in the East as other teams in the conference have loaded up with stars this offseason.
Kawhi Leonard Receives ‘Juicy’ News About New Contract With Raptors