Kawhi Leonard has officially been traded to the Toronto Raptors in yet another blockbuster NBA trade. The star player will return to the place where he won Finals MVP in 2019, getting the Raptors their first NBA championship in franchise history. Here are the full details and everything needed to be known regarding the breaking news.
The Los Angeles Clippers dealt Leonard to Toronto for a package headlined by Brandon Ingram. Gradey Dick and multiple firsts also go to LA in the deal. The Clippers aren’t in full sell mode, and they appear to have preferred to keep the superstar. Things were not looking promising, however, as the NBA trade rumors continued to swirl.
Shams Charania was first to report this blockbuster deal and its full details.
Leonard has expressed interest in signing an extension with the Raptors, but he is currently on a deal that expires in 2027, carrying a salary of over $50 million for this upcoming season. Leonard is eligible to sign a two-year $126.1 million extension.
The Raptors now look like a serious threat in the Eastern Conference. They quickly went from a fringe playoff team to one that nobody wants to face in the playoffs. Leonard will be paired with Scottie Barnes as the main duo.
The Raptors remain limited in depth, but there are likely more deals on the way with NBA free agency and more trades picking up soon. It will be easier to get a real look at how this trade pans out as the regular season gets closer. If they don’t add more pieces and essentially run it back with the addition of Leaonard, the trade gets confusing pretty quickly.
Leonard will now have a chance to continue his legend in Toronto. He was already going to go down as one of the franchise’s greatest players, even with just one season under his belt. Now, he gets an opportunity to expand that. Will he be able to get the Raptors back to where he left them in 2019? It sure will be fun to watch and see.
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