Earlier this offseason, the Los Angeles Clippers decided to trade away star player Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and multiple draft picks. 

The trade would send Leonard back to the team he came from when he joined the Clippers, but due to an ongoing investigation into him and the Clippers for finding a loophole in the salary cap, the trade has been put on pause. 

The NBA is still conducting an investigation into the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard after the franchise put in an unreported $28 million endorsement deal with the banking company Aspiration. 

Shams Charania of ESPN recently came on the Pat McAfee show to discuss the latest on what's going on with the investigation and how it affects this trade. 

Charania explained that although the trade could have gone through, the issue is that the league would hold the Raptors organization accountable for any punishment that comes from the investigation and not the Clippers. 

When this deal was completed, the NBA had to step in and warn the Raptors about what could come from it, ultimately making them back out and put it on pause. 

There are different punishments Kawhi could face from the investigation. Leonard could get dealt anything from a big suspension, keeping him away for a long time, or even his contract getting voided. 

Leonard could also have to pay a big fine, or the Clippers may even lose draft picks from this. Because of the uncertainty of the investigation and what could come from it, the trade was put on pause. 

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has mentioned to the media that this investigation will have to get done before the start of the season, and Shams Charania said we may still be weeks away from coming to a resolution. 

Leonard is 34 years old and is coming off a season in which he was named to the All-NBA second team. A big factor in the Kawhi-Toronto deal was that he was willing to sign an extension with the team after the move. 

Leonard is still playing high-level basketball and earned the right to seek an extension, but this investigation could hurt his chances of doing that. Leonard could get his contract voided and sign with the Raptors as a free agent, but if that were the case, he may be getting a big suspension, drawing teams away from him.