NBA Freezes Kawhi Leonard Trade to Raptors Amid Scandal
The NBA has indefinitely halted the trade of Kawhi Leonard from the Clippers to the Raptors due to an investigation into possible salary cap violations.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has announced an indefinite suspension of the trade that would send Kawhi Leonard from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Toronto Raptors. The two teams reached an agreement on the last day of June, with the Raptors agreeing to send Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and multiple future draft picks to the Clippers in exchange for Leonard, who previously helped Toronto win its only NBA championship.
The league's decision stems from a scandal involving Leonard's association with the now-bankrupt organization 'Aspiration'. An investigation revealed that Leonard received over $28 million as a marketing figurehead for the organization, without having to perform any promotional activities. Additionally, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer had previously invested $50 million in Aspiration. The NBA suspects these payments may have been disguised additional compensation to Leonard, circumventing the league's salary cap rules.
As the investigation continues, the NBA stated that the Raptors would have to assume any penalties that would otherwise apply to the Clippers as a result of the trade. Toronto disagreed with this condition, leading to the trade being 'frozen' until the investigation concludes. Last season, Leonard averaged 27.9 points and 1.9 steals per game over 65 appearances.
