Kawhi Leonard’s return to the Raptors is on hold.
On Thursday, the Raptors and Clippers announced in public statements that their agreed upon trade won’t be completed until after the NBA’s investigation into the Clippers’ relationship with Aspiration is completed.
Since last September, the league has been investigating the Clippers over allegations Leonard allegedly had a no-show endorsement deal with the failed environmental startup in an attempt to circumvent the league’s salary cap and compensate the two-time NBA champion beyond his contract with the team. If found guilty, the NBA could strip the Clippers of multiple first-round picks, fine the organization, and potentially void Leonard’s contract.
“The NBA league office informed us that as a result of the ongoing investigation involving the Clippers, we would assume the risk of any potential outcome of the investigation impacting Kawhi,” the Raptors statement said. “In light of this, we will wait until the league’s investigation is complete. The Raptors remain eager to bring Kawhi back to Toronto and look forward to a swift resolution for our players, our organization and our fans.”
The trade, which was first reported on June 30, raised eyebrows around the NBA as many wondered if the league would allow the transaction to be completed as the investigation remained ongoing.
