The L.A. Clippers were severely punished by the NBA, and Kawhi Leonard didn’t get off scot-free either. Nevertheless, the superstar’s trade to the Toronto Raptors is expected to be finalized in the coming days.
The NBA’s statement regarding the drastic penalties for the L.A. Clippers came as a bombshell; at the same time, the trade of Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors—which was leaked back in early July—is still not official.
The Raptors initially wanted to wait for the NBA’s ruling on what potential penalties Leonard himself might face. However, the forward got off fairly lightly; he only has to pay a $700,000 fine to the NBA. According to Shams Charania (ESPN), nothing now stands in the way of the trade.
“That was the last piece of information the Raptors needed,” the journalist said on SportsCenter. “The Raptors and Kawhi Leonard now expect the trade to be finalized in the coming days.” Leonard himself also issued a statement and has already spoken about his future in Toronto.
Clippers Get New Draft Picks
In early July, the two teams had agreed that Leonard would join the Raptors. In return, former All-Star Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick are set to join the Clippers, and the Clippers will receive two first-round picks (2031, 2033), two second-round picks (2030, 2033), and a pick swap for 2027.
For the Clippers, this is no small matter, as the NBA will take away five of their first-round picks. It’s a starting point for rebuilding the team. At the same time, these picks will be the only first-round picks available to the California-based team between 2030 and 2033.
