Kawhi Leonard Returns to Raptors in Blockbuster Trade

The Toronto Raptors made a major play and will now have a homecoming.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Raptors are trading for star small forward Kawhi Leonard in a reunion that brings him back seven years later after departing to join the Los Angeles Clippers.

In return, Toronto is sending a package that includes star forward Brandon Ingram in a star-swap.

The full package includes Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and one pick swap.

Leonard is on an expiring deal and is expected to sign an extension that keeps him beyond 2026-27 in Toronto.

Leonard is coming off a career-best season where he averaged 27.9 points per game in 65 games for the Clippers and an elite 1.9 steals per game.

It pairs Leonard in the frontcourt with Scottie Barnes who is coming off his best season and it’s clear that the franchise is building around him.

That means Leonard is arriving to complement Barnes as the franchise cornerstone.

To read more about the major trade and what it means for Toronto, here is the full story from Raptors Roundtable writer Joey Linn.

Leonard was instrumental in Toronto’s first title in 2019 and the two-time Finals MVP came after a historic run where he scored 732 points in the playoffs, good for third all time.

The California native left to play for his hometown, and he’s racked up four All-Star and four All-NBA selections since.

However, his tenure there was plagued by injury , and he’ll end his era in Los Angeles with just three playoff series wins over seven seasons, and return to his team in Toronto where he’ll hope to help lead them to a second NBA title.