The Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers agreed to a trade that would send Kawhi Leonard back to Toronto. The deal is now on hold while the NBA completes an investigation into the Clippers.
Reports say the league is looking into whether the Clippers went around salary cap rules. The investigation involves a sponsorship deal with a company called Aspiration that was linked to Leonard when he played for the Clippers. The Clippers say they did nothing wrong and were victims of fraud by someone at the company.
The Raptors announced they will not finalize the trade until the NBA finishes its review. They do not want to take on any possible penalties or risks from the investigation. The teams reached the agreement on June 30. It would have sent Leonard to the Raptors in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and several draft picks.
Leonard played for the Raptors in 2019. He helped them win the NBA championship that year before leaving for the Clippers as a free agent. Bringing him back would give Toronto a veteran star with playoff experience.
The NBA is expected to wrap up its review in the coming weeks. Both teams still want to complete the deal once they have more information. The pause is a careful step for the Raptors to protect their future roster moves.
Trades involving big names like Leonard always bring attention. Fans in Toronto are watching to see if their former champion returns to the team. The Clippers will also wait to see how their roster changes once the investigation ends.