Kawhi Leonard Is Heading Back to Toronto in Blockbuster Trade with the Clippers
The Toronto Raptors are bringing Kawhi Leonard home. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday that the Los Angeles Clippers and Raptors have agreed to a trade that sends the two-time Finals MVP back to the franchise where he made history — seven years after he broke their hearts by leaving.
The Deal
According to ESPN, the Clippers receive Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks, one pick swap, and two second-round picks. Leonard enters the deal with one year and $50.3 million remaining on his current contract. Per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, he will now be eligible to sign a two-year, $123.7 million extension with Toronto.
Why Leonard Said Yes to Toronto
Once the Clippers declined to offer Leonard a contract extension, his representatives signaled that Toronto was the only destination where he would agree to a long-term deal. ESPN reported three factors drove that decision: his existing relationship with Raptors GM Bobby Webster — who engineered the original 2018 trade from San Antonio — his belief that the Raptors can contend in the Eastern Conference, and the possibility of finishing his career in Toronto.
What Leonard Brings
Leonard, who turned 35 on Monday, is coming off one of the best offensive seasons of his career. He averaged 27.9 points per game in 65 regular-season appearances for the Clippers last season and finished seventh in MVP voting with a second-team All-NBA selection. In the 2019 playoffs with Toronto, he scored 732 points — the third-highest single-postseason total in NBA history, behind only Michael Jordan in 1992 and LeBron James in 2018. He averaged 28.5 points per game in the Finals against Golden State, winning Finals MVP.
He is a two-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, and a seven-time All-Star.
Why the Clippers Moved On
Los Angeles finished 42-40 last season and was eliminated in the play-in tournament by the Golden State Warriors. The Clippers are shifting toward a younger roster, and trading Leonard gives them a significant haul of draft capital and an established scorer in Brandon Ingram, who averaged 21.5 points and 5.6 rebounds over 77 games last season and made the All-Star team. The Clippers’ president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank had publicly stated in April that the plan was to keep Leonard — the trade marks a reversal of that position.
What It Means for Toronto
The Raptors finished 46-36 last season, fifth in the Eastern Conference, and pushed the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the first round before bowing out. With Scottie Barnes anchoring the core, Leonard’s arrival gives Toronto a second proven superstar and a clear signal that the front office believes this team is ready to compete now. Webster, who has been in place since the original Leonard trade in 2018, made the call.
The Investigation Backdrop
The trade comes as the NBA continues to investigate allegations that the Clippers may have circumvented the salary cap through an endorsement arrangement between Leonard and the financial company Aspiration. Leonard received a reported $28 million endorsement deal from Aspiration, which also held a $300 million, 23-year sponsorship agreement with the Clippers. The NBA has not announced any findings or discipline.
