09/03/26 10:50:00
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09/03 10:48 CDT Completion of the NBA's investigation of the Clippers could
facilitate Leonard trade to the Raptors
Completion of the NBA's investigation of the Clippers could facilitate Leonard
trade to the Raptors
By IAN HARRISON
Associated Press
TORONTO (AP) --- Kawhi Leonard's return to the Toronto Raptors could be back on
now that there's a resolution to the NBA's investigation into salary cap
circumvention rules during the seven-time All-Star's time with the Los Angeles
Clippers.
On Wednesday, the NBA imposed a sweeping punishment against the Clippers for
violating salary cap circumvention rules, including suspending owner Steve
Ballmer for one year, fining the team $30 million, forcing the organization to
forfeit five first-round draft picks and fining Leonard $700,000.
Leonard was not suspended for any games, raising questions about what's next
for the two-time NBA Finals MVP.
The Raptors and Clippers struck a deal on June 30 on a trade that would send
Leonard back to the team he helped lead to the 2019 NBA championship. The
Raptors agreed to send Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round draft
picks, two second-round picks and pick swaps to the Clippers.
In July, the trade was put on hold pending the outcome of the NBA's
investigation.
The Raptors have declined to comment on the status of the deal to acquire
Leonard now that the league has announced the fallout from its investigation.
Leonard, 35, is coming off the highest-scoring season of his career, averaging
27.9 points while playing 65 games last year with the Clippers.
A seven-time All-NBA selection and two-time NBA champion, Leonard is considered
one of the game's top defensive players. He also won the 2014 NBA title with
San Antonio.
In Toronto, Leonard would join a roster led by two-time All-Star Scottie
Barnes, Canadian star RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and talented youngster
Collin Murray-Boyles.
The Raptors finished 46-36 in 2025-26 and took the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven
games in a first-round playoff series defeat. It was Toronto's first playoff
appearance in four years.
So far this summer, the Raptors have signed general manager Bobby Webster to a
multiyear contract extension and promoted him to executive vice president, and
agreed to a multiyear extension with coach Darko Rajakovic.
On July 7, Leonard was in the front row at Kyle Lowry's Toronto news conference
when Lowry announced he was retiring as a member of the Raptors. Ingram
attended a Clippers Summer League game in Las Vegas on July 10.
The NBA began investigating in September 2025 whether a $28 million endorsement
contract between Leonard and Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC --- a company that
filed for bankruptcy last year --- broke league rules, following a report by
journalist Pablo Torre. Earlier this year, Aspiration co-founder Joseph Sanberg
was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to defrauding
investors and lenders of at least $248 million.
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