Leonard trade to Raptors delayed pending Clippers salary-cap probe
The NBA has postponed finalizing Kawhi Leonard's move to Toronto until its investigation into the Clippers' alleged salary-cap violations is concluded.
The Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors agreed on June 30 to send forward Kawhi Leonard back to the team with which he won the 2019 NBA championship, but the deal will not be completed until the league finishes its probe into possible salary-cap circumvention by the Clippers. The Raptors said they will wait for the investigation’s outcome to avoid assuming risk if Leonard’s contract is altered.
"The NBA league office informed us that as a result of the ongoing investigation involving the Clippers, we would assume the risk of any potential outcome of the investigation impacting Kawhi," the Raptors’ statement read.
The Clippers acknowledged the same condition, noting that the trade can be finalized only after Toronto assumes any penalties that might arise from the probe.
"On June 30, we reached an agreement in principle to trade Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors. We have since been informed that the trade can only be finalized if the Raptors’ ownership group assumes the risk of penalties related to Kawhi’s contract that could theoretically result from the ongoing investigation," the Clippers said.
Toronto would receive Leonard, while Los Angeles would acquire All-Star Brandon Ingram, 2023 lottery pick Gradey Dick and several draft picks, including unprotected first-round selections in 2031 and 2033. The NBA informed both clubs before the agreement that the investigation could affect any transaction involving Leonard.
Commissioner Adam Silver has said the league is close to concluding the investigation, which began after a podcast series alleged the Clippers used a sponsorship with the now-bankrupt firm Aspiration to bypass salary-cap rules. Silver told reporters in early June that the league needed finality for teams to plan for the upcoming season.
The Clippers also issued a statement distancing themselves from the alleged scheme, attributing the fraud to Aspiration co-founder Joe Sanberg, who is serving a prison sentence.
"We did not funnel money to Kawhi Leonard through Aspiration. We were victims of a fraud initiated by Sanberg," the Clippers said.
The trade remains pending, with the NBA Board of Governors meeting next week expected to address the investigation’s findings.