The NBA finally dropped the hammer on the Clippers over that whole Kawhi Leonard "secret deal" mess. We're talking a $30 million fine (that's about 9.6 billion Taiwanese dollars, if you're counting) and five future first-round picks stripped away. With that cloud finally lifting, the trade that was supposed to send Leonard back to Toronto—where he led the Raptors to a championship—is reportedly getting a second life.
Remember, the Clippers and Raptors had a deal lined up this summer to ship Kawhi back up north. Then the league stepped in, launched an investigation, and everything froze. Turns out, Leonard himself only has to pay a fine—no suspension. That alone removed the biggest hurdle blocking the trade.
According to Shams Charania over at ESPN, both sides picked up talks again on Wednesday, and they're both pretty eager to make this happen. Word is, if Leonard does land back in Toronto, he'll likely sign a long-term extension. Stick around for the long haul.
So what's the actual trade? The Clippers send Kawhi to the Raptors in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a first-round swap in 2027, plus second-rounders in 2030 and 2033.
For a Clippers team that just lost five first-round picks to the league, getting back a bunch of draft assets in this deal feels like a lifeline—a way to patch up some of the damage to their future. If this trade goes through, the big question becomes: can Kawhi recapture that championship magic in Toronto? That alone might be the story of the season.
