The Los Angeles Clippers are ready to maintain Kawhi Leonard if his trade to the Toronto Raptors doesn’t undergo, based on Ramona Shelburne, leaving the franchise with a contingency plan because the NBA’s investigation into Leonard’s contractual situation continues.
“If this commerce doesn’t undergo, if for some motive Toronto doesn’t wish to proceed with it till they know the investigation, Clippers are high quality with Kawhi Leonard being again on their group,” Shelburne stated on ESPN LA.
The reported Leonard commerce remains in limbo due to the NBA investigation involving an undisclosed sponsorship association between the Clippers and Leonard. Toronto has agreed to accumulate Leonard however needs assurances that he is not going to face the utmost attainable penalty of getting his contract voided earlier than signing off on the transaction.
Josh Lewenberg reported that the Raptors usually are not essentially ready for the investigation and authorized course of to be totally accomplished. As an alternative, Toronto needs sufficient clarity on the potential punishment Leonard could face.
That uncertainty has stored the Clippers’ offseason plans unresolved. The proposed deal would ship Leonard to Toronto, with Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, together with a 2027 choose swap, and two second-round alternatives reportedly heading to Los Angeles.
Protecting Leonard would give the Clippers a dramatically completely different roster image after he averaged 27.9 factors, 6.4 rebounds and three.6 assists in 65 video games through the 2025-26 season. The seven-time All-Star shot 50.5% from the sphere and 38.7% from three-point vary whereas incomes All-NBA Second Staff honors.
The Clippers completed 42-40 and ninth within the Western Convention final season, reaching the Play-In Event however falling properly wanting the franchise’s championship ambitions. Leonard remained their most efficient participant, posting a 57.3% efficient field-goal share whereas averaging 32.1 minutes per recreation.
Los Angeles has already made strikes primarily based on the expectation that its roster may change. The Clippers have brought back Bradley Beal, added Rui Hachimura, Max Strus and rookie Keaton Wagler whereas additionally reshaping a roster that noticed John Collins and Bennedict Mathurin depart.
