The San Antonio Spurs did not trade for Kawhi Leonard this offseason, and after a recent NBA ruling, it's pretty clear that was the right move.
The San Antonio Spurs have opted to be conservative this summer, signing veteran forward Tobias Harris to a two-year deal and re-signing both Harrison Barnes and Julian Champagnie.
Despite being linked to superstars like LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard, the Spurs opted to make smaller moves, probably to their long-term benefit. As the offseason heated up, only the Spurs and Toronto Raptors were listed as realistic trade destinations for Leonard. The Raptors ended up sending Brandon Ingram, Grady Dick, and draft picks to the Los Angeles Clippers for Leonard, outbidding the Spurs, who may or may not have made an offer.
However, passing on Leoanrd was one of the best things the Spurs could have done.
Raptors Rescind Leonard Trade Offer
Last offseason, it was revealed that Leonard had signed a four-year, $28 million endorsement deal with Aspiration, an environmental group with ties to Clippers' owner Steve Ballmer. Leonard did not make a single appearance for Aspiration, and the NBA is currently investigating that deal as fraud.
Basically, the Clippers (allegedly) paid Aspiration to pay Leonard, ignoring the salary cap altogether. As the league continues the investigation, they made it clear that Leonard--and the team that employs him--could still be punished.
If the trade were to be finalized and then the NBA were to suspend Leonard, it would be the Raptors, not the Clippers, that would pay the price of missing the superstar. So Toronto has canceled the trade, for now.
"We still don't have a timeline for that investigation," Shams Charania reported. "Adam Silver said about a month ago that it could be wrapped up soon, it still has not been and so over the last several weeks the Clippers have engaged with multiple teams around Kawhi Leonard trade talks...the NBA has essentially paused that conversation until the end of their investigation, the Raptors decide today that they will not be assuming the risk of any discipline or any other fallout that could happen with Kawhi Leonard after the league investigation is over."
In 2025, the Los Angeles Lakers tried to trade Dalton Knecht to the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams, but then Williams failed his physical, and the deal was undone. Since then, Knecht and the Lakers have had a rocky relationship.
The Raptors could have the same issue with both Ingram and Dick. Had the Spurs been involved instead, they would have had to rectify any bad blood between the team and whichever player they sent out.
It's safe to say that the Spurs dodged a bullet.
