The Toronto Raptors are nearly out of the dark that they went through during the Aspiration scandal era.
The Raptors originally reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Clippers in a framework to trade for superstar Kawhi Leonard early in the offseason. Unfortunately, the ongoing investigation by the league held up the trade – until now.
The NBA levied hefty penalties on the Clippers, but Leonard avoided any major penalty in the process. Leonard will pay $700,000 in restitution, but will not face suspension or a voiding of his contract.
Explore how this impacts the timeline of the trade’s completion below.
NBA Insider Reveals Timeline for Leonard to Officially Join Toronto
ESPN’s Shams Charania provided a reasonable timeline for the trade’s official completion on Sportscenter on Wednesday.
“His contract was not voided, he was not suspended. So, all systems are a go. Everything is on track for Kawhi to be traded now to the Toronto Raptors… The full expectation around the Raptors and around Kawhi Leonard and the league is that this trade will be going through in the next few days.”
Now, Leonard is making his triumphant return to Toronto. The seven-time All-NBA selection put together one of the most impressive individual seasons in recent memory in 2018-19. He led the Raptors to their first-ever NBA title, pushing through a historically challenging field to get the job done.
There’s no secret that Toronto is once again going for a title after a breakout season, the discussion below is centered around what to expect from the season ahead.
What to Expect From Raptors With Leonard in Fold
The Raptors are parting with F Brandon Ingram, F Gradey Dick, and five total draft picks in this transaction. This is signifying that the Raptors are intent on building out a contender around Leonard in the immediate future.
Toronto is heading into the season with one of the best starting units on paper in the league. However, concerns still remain at the surface.
Among the concerns is starting center Jakob Poeltl. The 30-year-old is coming off of his lowest block total since his rookie season (0.7), and is the lone big on the roster with extensive playoff experience. The fit between R.J. Barrett and Immanuel Quickley in the backcourt is a question mark as well – at least in this current arrangement. The guards need the ball to be their most effective, which comes into conflict with Leonard and Scottie Barnes needing the ball in droves.
The bench is a slight question mark, as players such as Jamel Shead and Ja’Kobe Walter are promising. The unfortunate reality is that neither have established themselves as a difference maker to this point.
Lastly, Leonard’s health has to be at the top of the list. The 35-year-old is coming off of two recent seasons of 65+ games played (Basketball Reference). However, Leonard still faces a chronic knee issue that has potential to hold him out of action.
Despite this, expect Toronto to comfortably finish within the top six of the Eastern Conference standings. Also expect the franchise to make the full-on jump into contention.
Shams Charania Reveals When Kawhi Leonard Trade to Raptors Will Be Complete