The Toronto Raptors’ stalled reunion with Kawhi Leonard may finally have a finish line.
There is a belief in some corners of the NBA that the investigation holding up Leonard’s trade could be resolved within the next six weeks, league insider Jake Fischer reported for The Stein Line. The anticipated outcome would include league sanctions against the Los Angeles Clippers but ultimately clear the teams to complete their agreed-upon trade.
Counting six weeks from Fischer’s report would place a potential resolution around Sept. 22 — six days before the Raptors’ scheduled Media Day and one week before training camp practices begin in Quebec City.
No party has publicly guaranteed that timetable. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in July only that he expected the matter to be resolved “this summer,” although he acknowledged that it needed to be completed before the season.
The narrowing window provides the first potential marker for a transaction that has remained frozen for more than a month.
Raptors Waiting for NBA’s Findings
GettyAdam Silver revealed that the NBA played no role in deciding to pause the Raptors blockbuster trade for Kawhi Leonard
Toronto and Los Angeles agreed June 30 to a deal that would send Leonard back to the Raptors for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and draft compensation.
The Raptors paused the transaction July 9 rather than accept liability for any penalties tied to the NBA’s investigation into allegations that the Clippers circumvented the salary cap to compensate Leonard outside his playing contract.
The law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz has spent 11 months investigating the matter. Silver said the firm was reviewing the information it had gathered and drawing conclusions.
Fischer reported that Leonard continues to believe the trade will be approved in time for training camp. His agent, Harrison Gaines, has maintained frequent contact with the National Basketball Players Association.
The union also has expressed skepticism that Leonard personally committed wrongdoing. NBPA executive director David Kelly said last month that the organization did not believe “there’s a there there” regarding Leonard’s endorsement agreements.
The Clippers have consistently denied funneling money to Leonard or violating the collective bargaining agreement.
Clippers Could Challenge NBA Sanctions
The investigation began after investigative journalist Pablo Torre reported that Leonard had signed a $28 million endorsement agreement with the now-bankrupt green banking company Aspiration, in which Clippers owner Steve Ballmer had invested.
Torre subsequently reported that Leonard allegedly held another undisclosed sponsorship agreement with Daktronics, the company that supplied the massive video board at Intuit Dome. A Pablo Torre Finds Out source characterized that arrangement as another vehicle for circumventing the salary cap.
Those details were not new to Wachtell’s investigators, according to Fischer. The firm already had examined the Daktronics agreement and Leonard’s ownership interest in a Rhode Island soccer club with indirect connections to Ballmer and the Clippers.
Los Angeles is prepared to pursue arbitration depending on the severity of any penalties, Fischer reported. Such a challenge could extend the Clippers’ dispute with the league even if Leonard is cleared to leave for Toronto.
That distinction is critical for the Raptors. They do not necessarily need every element of the case resolved before camp; they need sufficient clarity that Leonard’s contract will remain valid and the trade will not expose them to unacceptable consequences.
Leonard visited the Raptors’ practice facility in July for Kyle Lowry’s retirement announcement. Nearly five weeks later, his return remains unofficial.
The league’s decision could arrive just days before camp. For Toronto, that would still be enough.
Raptors Get Major Kawhi Leonard Trade Resolution Timeline