Seven years after leading the Toronto Raptors to their only NBA championship, Kawhi Leonard is heading back north. The Kawhi Leonard trade sends the two-time Finals MVP from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Raptors in exchange for forward Brandon Ingram, guard Gradey Dick, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2027 first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks, according to sources cited by ESPN.
The move ends Leonard’s six-season run in Los Angeles, during which the Clippers never advanced past the second round of the playoffs despite years of championship expectations. Leonard, who turned 35 this offseason, has one season remaining on his contract at $50.3 million for 2026-27.
Why the Trade Came Together
According to reporting from ESPN, Leonard’s representatives had informed teams across the league that he wanted to sign a contract extension only with the Raptors, effectively steering the market toward Toronto even as he would have preferred to remain with the Clippers. The Clippers, however, made no long-term contractual commitment to Leonard this offseason, prompting the move.
Three factors were reported as central to Leonard’s willingness to return to Toronto: his familiarity with a front office structure that remains largely intact under executive vice president Bobby Webster, his fondness for the city itself, and his belief that the Raptors can genuinely contend in the Eastern Conference.
What Each Side Is Getting
For Toronto, adding Leonard represents a significant swing at contention after a season in which the Raptors won 16 more games than the previous year and posted their best point differential in six seasons. The Raptors finished 40-36 and claimed the fifth seed in the East last season before losing a seven-game first-round series to the Cleveland Cavaliers — their first playoff appearance since 2019-20, the same year Leonard departed as a free agent following the franchise’s championship run.
Toronto is parting with Brandon Ingram, a 28-year-old All-Star forward who spent one season with the Raptors after arriving via trade, during which he averaged 21.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game across 77 appearances. Ingram now returns to Los Angeles, where his career originally began with the Lakers in 2016, before stops with the New Orleans Pelicans and Raptors. Gradey Dick, the 13th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, also heads to LA after averaging 9.2 points and 2.5 rebounds across his first three NBA seasons.
The Clippers’ Broader Roster Reset
The Leonard trade is part of a wider organizational shift for the Clippers, who have moved to reset their roster around a younger core. Earlier in the year, Los Angeles traded guard James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, and dealt center Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers in a package that returned what became the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 draft, along with a future first-rounder. The Clippers used that fifth pick on Illinois guard Keaton Wagler.
Following the Leonard trade, the Clippers held roughly $6.5 million in salary cap space with 11 players under contract, an average roster age just under 26 — a dramatic shift for a franchise that had entered the previous season as the oldest team in the league.
A Complicated Backdrop
The trade’s completion came amid additional complexity tied to the NBA’s investigation into the Clippers organization over alleged salary cap circumvention connected to Leonard’s since-scrutinized endorsement arrangement with the now-bankrupt company Aspiration. Reports at the time indicated the Raptors and Clippers were prepared to proceed with the deal regardless of the investigation’s outcome, with the Clippers reportedly comfortable retaining Leonard if the trade had ultimately fallen through for any reason. The league’s findings, which resulted in significant penalties for the Clippers organization, were announced only after the trade had already been agreed to.
What This Means for Toronto’s Outlook
Pairing Leonard with All-Star forward Scottie Barnes gives the Raptors a genuine 1-2 punch heading into the 2026-27 season, with expectations that Toronto’s already-strong defense will improve further with a player of Leonard’s two-way caliber added to the rotation. Given his reported preference to extend only with Toronto, the Raptors will also be watching closely for the right moment to negotiate a long-term deal that keeps Leonard in Toronto beyond this season.
Looking Ahead
With training camp approaching, both franchises now shift focus to how their reshaped rosters come together. For the Clippers, the season ahead is about establishing a new identity around a younger core. For the Raptors, the challenge is translating last season’s defensive improvement and a healthy, motivated Leonard into a genuine push up the Eastern Conference standings.
FAQ Section
Q: What did the Raptors give up to acquire Kawhi Leonard?
A: Toronto sent Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2027 first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks to the Clippers.
Q: Why did Kawhi Leonard want to go specifically to the Raptors?
A: Reports indicated Leonard’s representatives told teams he only wanted to sign a contract extension with Toronto, citing his familiarity with the front office, his fondness for the city, and belief in the team’s contention chances.
Q: How much is Kawhi Leonard earning this season?
A: Leonard has one season remaining on his contract at $50.3 million for 2026-27.
Q: How did the Raptors perform last season?
A: Toronto finished 40-36 and made the playoffs as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, losing in seven games to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round.
Q: Is this trade connected to the NBA’s investigation into the Clippers?
A: The trade was agreed to before the league’s investigation findings were announced, though both were part of the same broader period for the Clippers organization.
