NBA investigation delays Kawhi Leonard trade to Toronto
The NBA's ongoing probe into a suspected salary-cap violation by the Los Angeles Clippers has put the pending Kawhi Leonard trade to the Toronto Raptors on hold.
The National Basketball Association has delayed the trade of forward Kawhi Leonard from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Toronto Raptors after an investigation into a possible salary-cap circumvention remains unresolved. The league hired the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz in September 2025 following a report that the Clippers arranged a no-show endorsement with a fraudulent tree-planting company called Aspiration.
Both clubs issued statements on Thursday confirming that the transaction is paused. The Raptors said the NBA informed them it would "assume the risk of any potential outcome of the investigation impacting Kawhi," indicating the league may impose a sanction before the season begins.
The probe, now approaching a year, has created uncertainty for Toronto, which had planned to build its roster around Leonard. The delay also affects the two players Toronto was expected to send to Los Angeles, Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick, whose future locations remain unsettled.
League officials have not provided a timeline for concluding the investigation, and the Clippers have not commented on the specifics of the alleged endorsement arrangement.