Kawhi Leonard-Toronto Raptors Trade Update Raises One Major Question

It’s been one week since the official NBA release detailing the brutal punishments for the Los Angeles Clippers in the Kawhi Leonard-Aspiration scandal. After a nearly year-long investigation, it was confirmed that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and Leonard’s former business manager and uncle, Dennis Robertson, were engaged in salary cap circumvention through several sponsors. As a result, the NBA suspended Ballmer and banned Robertson, along with suspensions to others, and Los Angeles was forced to forfeit five first-round picks. 

The punishment for Leonard was what most of the league was awaiting, especially the Toronto Raptors. The two franchises engaged in and agreed upon a trade, sending the seven-time All-Star back to Toronto in exchange for two-time All-Star Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and substantial draft compensation. That trade was put on hold because NBA Commissioner Adam Silver informed Raptors general manager Bobby Webster that any punishments given to Leonard would carry over, even if he switches teams ahead of next season. 

Ultimately, the former No. 15 pick in the 2011 NBA draft was spared by the Commissioner with a simple slap on the wrist: a $700k fine after totaling at least $66 million, according to the man who ignited the entire investigation, Pablo Torre (via Basketball Network). Since he didn’t receive a suspension or have his contract voided, all signs pointed toward the 2019 Finals MVP with Toronto returning to the franchise. Now that it’s been a week since Leonard’s statement, in which he declared he was returning to the Raptors, fans are left wondering: what’s taking so long?

Jake L. Fischer from The SteinLine reported on the pending deal as anticipation grows heading into training camp at the end of this month.

“[Kawhi Leonard] is in Miami at a minicamp with Toronto players,” said Fischer. “He’s not working out alongside other players; he is specifically doing individual work … Brandon Ingram, I’ve been told, is at the Clippers’ facility working out every day … The reason [the trade] hasn’t been done yet, to our knowledge, at this point, again, is because the Clippers are still saying that they need to figure out exactly how their front office is going to operate with their No. 1 chair, Lawrence Frank, currently abdicated.”

While this may seem like good news at first glance, there are definitely concerns around this news as well. First, there is no timetable for LA’s temporary leadership. While the Clippers likely have an idea of who will assume the responsibility, it’s not exactly a simple process to throw an individual into the head of basketball operations role without prior experience. It would be reasonable to assume that it’s the franchise’s top priority to figure this out before media day, training camp, and preseason get set to begin. 

However, the extent of the time this process takes will surely be indicative of the speed at which the Leonard deal is completed. Obviously, everyone in Toronto should want this to be completed as soon as possible, so the team can continue preparing for next season. The Clippers’ organization is likely thinking the same thing, but establishing the outlook for the next six months for the franchise is going to take as long as it needs to ensure they don’t dig an even deeper hole than they are already in.