Embroiled in a high-profile contract-based controversy, which led to an investigation that lasted a full year, Kawhi Leonard is searching for a path forward in the same way he has sliced through defenses throughout his career.
Leonard did not get where he is as a player without a little anticipation. So at media day Monday, in his return to the Toronto Raptors after six seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, the seven-time All-Star got the obvious immediately out in the open.
“I’m excited to be here. I know why some of you guys came,” Leonard said. “You want to hear about the investigation. But talking with the NBA and the (National Basketball Players Association), I think the best decision is to move forward and focus on my time being a Toronto Raptor.”
The NBA finally ruled earlier this month that Leonard’s contractual dealings with the Clippers circumvented the salary cap. The league punishment resulted in Los Angeles losing five first-round picks, being hit with a $30-million fine and seeing owner Steve Ballmer and two other executives suspended for six months to a year. Leonard was fined $700,000.
Perhaps most pleased to see Leonard determined to move forward was Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic.
“I was excited for him to come back home,” Rajakovic said.
Sports journalist Pablo Torre was the first to report a year ago that Leonard had an outside deal with a now defunct financial institution that did not require any reciprocating services for compensation reportedly as much as $28 million. Other similar dealings surfaced.
As the investigation continued, the Clippers worked a deal this offseason to trade Leonard to the Raptors in June in exchange for Gradey Dick, Brandon Ingram, two first-round draft picks, two second rounders and a pick swap. The deal was only formally approved earlier this month due to the NBA investigation.
Toronto subsequently signed Leonard to a two-year, $115 million contract which included a player option for the 2028-29 season.
“This was a really unique situation from all sides,” Raptors general manager Bobby Webster said. “Do I know everything that happened? No. … But we wouldn’t have agreed to the deal if we didn’t have a level of confidence to get it done.”
A two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Leonard averaged a career-high 27.9 points along with 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals in 65 starts last season for the Clippers.
Leonard, 35, averaged 26.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals in his lone season with the Raptors. He finished off his one season in Canada in 2018-19 by guiding the Raptors to what still stands as the franchise’s only NBA title.
He has career averages of 20.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game over 798 games (769 starts) with the San Antonio Spurs (2011-18), Raptors (2018-19) and Clippers (2019-21; 2022-26).
Now comes his second tenure with the Raptors following a chaotic summer.
“I already was a distraction for the past 70 days and wasn’t able to meet my teammates (or) do any of that minicamp stuff with them,” Leonard said. “I just want to focus on basketball again and being a Toronto Raptor.”
