In one of the blockbuster trades of this year’s offseason, the Toronto Raptors found themselves reunited with Kawhi Leonard. While this was an immensely promising development, there have been significant roadblocks.
With Kawhi Leonard still being investigated for his involvement in the Aspiration deal, there was enough concern that his contract could be voided. Though both teams were aware of the consequences, reports indicated that the Raptors halted proceedings when asked to officially accept any potential penalties.
Needless to say, this left the deal in limbo until a verdict was announced. On that note, The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov provided a major update that could be received favorably by the Raptors. While speaking on “The Rich Eisen Show,” Vorkunov mentioned that it was still a waiting game. However, he also added:
“The investigation, I think, is over now. The NBA is kind of sifting through what the law firm they hired has found, whether there’s a punishment or not that it wants to levy.”
“The process forward is like a little bit complicated,” he continued. “They can reach a settlement if they feel like there’s a punishment or there’s something to do there with the Clippers, Steve Ballmer, and the MVPA will get involved, and Kawhi, if there’s something there for him, too.”
Vorkunov highlighted that the CBA’s process is almost like a trial in which a player must plead his case to an arbitrator, after which the punishment, if applicable, could be levied. When noting that there is also an appeals process, the insider suggested that this process could take even longer.
Although Vorkunov was largely pessimistic about the timeline, when asked for his opinion about Kawhi Leonard’s future in the NBA, he mentioned:
“I think the trade with the Raptors will still happen. Like, just trying to think through the things that would make them cancel that deal, is if they void the contract, then they [Clippers] cannot trade him… But say there’s a suspension, like, that’s what the investigation finds, you can kind of tweak the terms of the trade a little bit and make up for that. Or maybe it’s possible the leaf just lands, and there is no wrongdoing at all. Then you’re on a glide path to making this deal happen.”
At the current juncture, it seems the Raptors will have to be patient regarding the type of punishment the NBA decides to levy on Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers. Still, if Vorkunov’s beliefs are any indication of how things could play out, Toronto may not have much reason to worry.
Last season, Kawhi Leonard strongly asserted himself as one of the best players in the league, even finishing seventh in MVP voting. Having averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 steals per game last season, the forward looked unstoppable.
By pairing a player of his caliber with their young core, featuring players like Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley, the Raptors would quickly emerge as one of the most formidable teams in the East.
Although the Raptors’ ideal scenario would be one in which no penalties are imposed, a relatively minor punishment, such as a suspension, would still be bearable enough to complete the deal. Given what a player like Kawhi Leonard can bring to the table, Toronto should be more than willing to be patient with the superstar.
