Kawhi Leonard is expected to sign a contract extension with the Toronto Raptors after his trade from the Los Angeles Clippers, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Charania said the trade is moving forward following the NBA’s investigation into the Clippers and Leonard, with the expectation that Toronto will renegotiate Leonard’s contract after the deal is completed.
“The expectation is there will be an extension here to come with Kawhi Leonard as well,” Charania said.
The NBA announced Wednesday that the Clippers and Leonard violated the league’s salary-cap circumvention rules following an independent investigation conducted by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. The league found that the Clippers initiated and facilitated endorsement opportunities between Leonard and four companies doing business with the organization.
Leonard was fined $700,000 but was not suspended, and his Clippers contract was not voided. Charania explained that investigators found no evidence proving Leonard knew about or directly participated in the salary-cap circumvention.
“The NBA did publish that report with Wachtell Lipton, 36 pages. There was no evidence there that showed that he had knowledge or he firsthand worked on circumventing the salary cap,” Charania said.
The penalties against the Clippers were significantly more severe. The franchise was fined $30 million and ordered to forfeit its first-round picks from 2029 through 2033, while owner Steve Ballmer received a one-year suspension.
President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker was suspended without pay for one year, President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank was suspended for six months, and Leonard’s former business manager Dennis Robertson received a five-year ban from conducting NBA business on behalf of players or league personnel.
Despite the investigation, Toronto and Los Angeles are proceeding with the trade. Charania said the teams have already spoken with the league and are working through the sequencing necessary to complete the transaction.
The Raptors are sending Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, two second-round picks and one pick swap to the Clippers for Leonard. The deal will return Leonard to the franchise where he spent the 2018-19 season and won his only NBA championship.
Leonard was one of the NBA’s most productive players in 2025-26, averaging 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 65 games while shooting 50.5% from the field, 38.7% from three-point range and 89.2% from the free-throw line.
He earned All-NBA Second Team honors and finished seventh in MVP voting as the Clippers went 42-40 and reached the Western Conference play-in tournament.
Leonard’s previous Toronto season remains the defining year of his career. He averaged 26.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 60 regular-season games before leading the Raptors to their first championship.
With the investigation no longer preventing the trade, Toronto is now positioned to complete Leonard’s return and potentially secure his services beyond the initial transaction through a new extension.
