Kawhi Leonard is officially a Toronto Raptor again. The trade sending him back to Toronto — agreed to in principle back on June 30 but frozen for more than two months by an NBA investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers — finally closed on Monday, September 14, after Clippers owner Steve Ballmer accepted the league’s punishment for salary-cap circumvention a day earlier.
Done deal: The LA Clippers and Raptors have both agreed to complete the trade sending Kawhi Leonard to Toronto for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks, one first-round pick swap and two second-rounders, per ESPN sources. The sides will now schedule a…
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 14, 2026
What exactly is Toronto giving up for Leonard?
The Raptors are sending Los Angeles forward Brandon Ingram, guard Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks (2031 and 2033), a 2027 first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks (2030 and 2033). Leonard agreed to waive his 15% trade kicker — worth roughly $7.45 million — to make the money work under the salary cap, which keeps Toronto about $2.3 million below the first luxury-tax apron with 13 guaranteed contracts on the books.
The Raptors-Clippers trade was agreed upon on June 30, paused amid the NBA investigation, and now will be processed after the Clippers gave the final sign-off Monday after utilizing the last 13 days to absorb the league’s punishment and work through internal logistics.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 14, 2026
Why did it take 2 ½ months to close a deal both sides already agreed to?
The NBA spent the summer investigating whether the Clippers circumvented the salary cap when they originally signed Leonard as a free agent in 2019, reportedly funneling extra value to him through no-show endorsement arrangements tied to companies linked to Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. The league’s findings described “a pattern of misconduct and multiple significant rules violations.” Commissioner Adam Silver hit the Clippers with a $30 million fine, stripped them of five future first-round picks, and suspended Ballmer for one year; basketball operations president Lawrence Frank was suspended for six months. Leonard himself avoided a suspension and wasn’t required to have his contract voided, but was fined $700,000 for improper benefits provided to his uncle, Dennis Robertson, who is now banned from the NBA. Leonard responded in a statement: “Integrity and respect for this game are fundamental to who I am. I accept full responsibility for lapses in judgment by people within my inner circle and regret the distraction this situation has caused the fans and my family.” Once Ballmer publicly accepted the league’s penalties on Sunday, the last obstacle to closing the trade was gone.
How does Leonard change what the Raptors can do this season?
Toronto wasn’t rebuilding — the Raptors were already 10th in net rating and seventh in defensive efficiency last season — but adding a two-time Finals MVP and a six-time All-Defensive selection turns a solid team into a legitimate Eastern Conference contender. Leonard slots in next to Scottie Barnes to give Toronto one of the more disruptive perimeter-defense pairings in the league, and his shot creation should open up better looks for guards Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett on a team that ranked just 25th in three-point rate a year ago. Raptors general manager Bobby Webster said in a statement: “We’re thrilled to welcome Kawhi back to Toronto. His impact on our organization, our city, and our country is undeniable, and he embodies the competitiveness and championship mindset that we value. We believe his leadership, experience and talent will help us as we continue building toward our next championship.” The obvious question marks are health — Leonard has a long injury history — and whether a locker room built around accountability absorbs a player who arrives with fresh off-court scrutiny attached. Leonard is eligible to sign a two-year, up to $126 million extension with Toronto once the trade is finalized on the roster.
When will Leonard actually play against his old team?
The two sides are scheduled to meet three times this season: an October 10 preseason game in Vancouver, a regular-season matchup in Los Angeles on November 2, and a return trip to Toronto on January 1. This is Leonard’s second stint with the Raptors — he led Toronto to its first championship in franchise history in 2019 before leaving for the Clippers in free agency that same summer, a departure that’s now bookended by this trade sending him back six years later.
Sources: ESPN · NBC Sports · Yahoo Sports · Hoops Rumors · TSN
