Updated
Updated · hoopsrumors.com · Sep 3
Clippers, Raptors Near Kawhi Leonard Trade After $700,000 NBA Fine Clears Final Hurdle
Updated
Updated · hoopsrumors.com · Sep 3

Clippers, Raptors Near Kawhi Leonard Trade After $700,000 NBA Fine Clears Final Hurdle

3 articles · Updated · hoopsrumors.com · Sep 3

Summary

  • $700,000 in league discipline for Kawhi Leonard removed the last obstacle to the Clippers-Raptors trade, with ESPN reporting the deal should be finalized within days.
  • Toronto had held off because any NBA punishment affecting Leonard's contract or 2026-27 availability would have changed the trade's value; the ruling imposed no further sanctions.
  • Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, two seconds, and a 2027 swap are set to go to Los Angeles.
  • Those Toronto firsts matter more after the NBA stripped the Clippers of five first-round picks for cap-circumvention violations, leaving them with no other controlled first-rounders from 2030 to 2033 if the trade closes.

Insights

Why did the NBA spare Kawhi Leonard from severe punishment while handing the Clippers historically harsh penalties?
How will the Clippers survive a massive rebuild without their owner, top executives, and five years of draft picks?
How did corporate sponsorships quietly fund illegal salary-cap circumvention before the league finally uncovered the scheme?