It has been a long and patient wait for the Toronto Raptors for the Kawhi Leonard situation. The franchise had agreed to a deal to bring back the veteran star but things are still frozen.
Toronto was forced to pause all other offseason business while the NBA finished its year-long investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers and Leonard. The Raptors didn’t see it as safe to finalize a deal that might have left the organization having to face the aftermath consequences.
Fortunately, Leonard received a less harsh punishment with a fine and he was not suspended, nor was his contract voided. According to The Athletic’s John Hollinger, this new development means that his Toronto return would be the next agenda.
“With those concerns out of the way, the trade can presumably go forward … as soon as the Clippers get around to figuring out who will okay it,” Hollinger wrote. “With their owner suspended for a year and their president of basketball operations for six months, it will fall on other parties within the organization to get this deal to the finish line.”
Leonard got a $700,000 fine but others involved were hit with a severe punishment. From owner Steve Ballmer to president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, to business president Gillian Zucker and Leonard’s representative Dennis Robertson.
Raptors Get Good News as Clippers Unlikely to Pull Back Kawhi Leonard Trade
Leonard’s trade package to Toronto was for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, unprotected first round picks in 2031 and 2033, second round picks in 2030 and 2033 and a 2027 first round pick swap.
With the risk now gone, the trade for him would most likely be completed. The Clippers did receive a significant hammer with the whole situation as they were handed a $30 million fine and five future first round picks being revoked. This hinders future flexibility, but at this point, there is no high upside in not moving Leonard.
“The Clippers are getting two first-round picks, a second-round pick and a first-round swap from Toronto, assets LA desperately needs now that it just forfeited a half-decade worth of first-round picks,” Hollinger added. “The Clips also aren’t winning anything notable in the near future, and the original Leonard trade agreement was an admission of that.”
Leonard is also on an expiring deal which makes this summer the only time they can get a return for the veteran star. In Ingram, the Clippers would be getting a decent star in return.
The safe bet now is completing the trade and the Raptors could finally have Leonard on the roster ahead of the upcoming season. Once the trade is official the veteran forward becomes eligible for a two-year extension.
Looking to What is Ahead for Raptors
With Leonard, the Raptors would build off a playoff finish from last season. They have a decent roster with Scottie Barnes still present and they can now look to push further than the first round.
Leonard, 35, is still producing at a high level. He played 65 games in the 2025-26 season, just his second 60-game season since the 2018-19 season, and averaged a career high in points.
The whole Leonard saga cost Toronto a clean summer to make other trade roster changes but they had to wait to avoid taking on any legal problems that would have come with it.
Leonard gave Toronto its first and only taste of championship success back in 2019. The memories from that run are still fresh in many minds.
Raptors Receive Major Kawhi Leonard Trade Update as Clippers Reveal Stance