The National Basketball Association has wrapped up one of the most talked-about transfer stories of recent years. Star American forward Kawhi Leonard is officially changing his club affiliation and returning to the Toronto Raptors — the team with which he already won a championship ring. This is reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing ESPN's authoritative insider Shams Charania.
Deal Details
According to Charania, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Toronto Raptors have reached a final agreement on a blockbuster trade involving the 35-year-old forward. As a result of the deal, Leonard moves to the Canadian club, while the Clippers receive Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks, a tradable first-round pick, and two second-round picks. To officially complete the procedure, the sides only need to make a formal call with league officials.
The Investigation That Delayed the Deal
The initial agreement on the trade was reached back in late June, but its formalization was forced to be paused due to an NBA investigation. The league was probing suspicions of possible off-the-books payments to Leonard by the Clippers in circumvention of salary cap restrictions, tied to a $28 million sponsorship contract. After all procedural issues were resolved, the club gave its final consent to the trade, and the deal returned to the final stage of formalization.
A Return After Seven Years
Leonard will begin his 15th season in his professional career and will return to Toronto after seven years. It was with the Canadian franchise in the 2018/19 season that he earned the club's only NBA championship in its history and was named Finals MVP. According to Charania, the basketball player himself considered Toronto one of his priority options for continuing his career: the insider had previously reported that Leonard wanted to land in either Toronto or San Antonio in the event of a trade.
Form Before the Move
Last season with the Clippers, Leonard demonstrated a high level of play. The forward appeared in 65 games, averaging 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. His standout performance allowed the star basketball player to participate in the All-Star Game and earn a spot in the NBA All-Second Team. Thus, Toronto acquires a player in excellent form and ready to compete for the title.
Contradictory Data
Publications from various outlets contain a minor discrepancy in the details. For instance, Sport Express's headline cites "4 draft picks" as the compensation for the Clippers, whereas a more detailed description of the deal (per Sport RBC.UA) lists two unprotected first-round picks, a tradable first-round pick, and two second-round picks — a total of five compensation elements. In addition, Championat had previously reported that Leonard was considering San Antonio as an alternative option, whereas the final version of the deal involves a move exclusively to Toronto. Finally, although both teams reached a "final agreement," formal confirmation from the NBA had not yet been received at the time of publication.
