NBA Market: Latest on Kawhi Leonard and Toronto Raptors
After the sanction against the Clippers, from which the player has been freed, everything is clear for him to sign with the Canadians
The arrival of Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors is getting closer to becoming a definitive reality. Once the NBA's investigation into the player's signing by the Los Angeles Clippers in 2022 is concluded, the trade agreed upon between both franchises can move forward.
The Clippers had arranged in June to send Leonard to Toronto in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a first-round pick swap in 2027, and two second-round picks. However, the deal was put on hold indefinitely while the league investigated the circumstances surrounding Leonard's incorporation to Los Angeles.
In recent weeks, there was even speculation that the investigation could lead to the definitive cancellation of the trade. Ultimately, that will not be the case. Leonard will be a player for the Raptors next season, and it also appears that his long-term future will be linked to Toronto.
The Raptors want to renew Kawhi Leonard
Leonard currently has one year left on his contract and is expected to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. However, the Raptors do not seem willing to wait until then to ensure his continuity.
According to ESPN journalist and NBA expert Shams Charania, Toronto plans to offer Leonard a contract extension before he reaches free agency.
"The Clippers and the Raptors have already talked and intend to move forward with this trade," Charania explained during an appearance on ESPN.
The journalist added that the expectation is that Kawhi Leonard will sign a contract extension with Toronto.
In this way, the Raptors would not only secure one of the most important moves of the current offseason but would also look to make Leonard a key piece of their project for the coming years.
A long-awaited return
Leonard's potential continuity in Toronto would also have an important sentimental component. The forward was already a key figure in one of the most significant chapters in the history of the Canadian franchise when he led the Raptors to their first NBA championship in 2019.
Now, several years later, Toronto is betting on him again to try to bring the team back to the elite of the Eastern Conference.
The trade still needs to be officially finalized once the process opened by the NBA is cleared, but the scenario seems clear: Kawhi Leonard will be a Raptor next season and all signs point to it being for more than just one year.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Mercado NBA: Última hora sobre Kawhi Leonard y Toronto Raptors