The Toronto Raptors have welcomed Kawhi Leonard back with open arms despite a near year-long investigation by the NBA.
After it was announced on Monday afternoon that Leonard had officially been traded back to Toronto, the Raptors released a statement sharing their excitement.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Kawhi back to Toronto. His impact on our organization, our city, and our country is undeniable, and he embodies the competitiveness and championship mindset that we value,” Raptors general manager and executive vice-president Bobby Webster said in a statement by the team. “We believe his leadership, experience and talent will help us as we continue building toward our next championship. We also want to thank Brandon and Gradey and appreciate their work ethic, character, and basketball excellence they brought to our team every day.”
The Toronto Raptors have welcomed Kawhi Leonard back with open arms despite a near year-long investigation by the NBA. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Followed by the statement, the Raptors social media team released a photo of Leonard in a Toronto uniform with the caption “He back.”
The news of Leonard being traded to the Raptors comes after an 11-month investigation by the NBA on Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers for circumventing the NBA’s salary cap, where journalist Pablo Torree revealed Leonard made an additional $28-million endorsement from the Steve Ballmer-owned company, Aspiration.
After it was announced on Monday afternoon that Leonard had officially been traded back to Toronto, the Raptors released a statement sharing their excitement. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
On September 2, the Clippers and Ballmer were found guilty, and the result was the Clippers being stripped of five first-round picks and a $30 million fine, while Leonard is being fined $700,000, and his uncle and former business representative, Dennis Robertson, has been banned from all NBA business dealings for five years.
While the investigation was still ongoing, the Clippers announced in July that they were trading Leonard to the Raptors, the same team he helped reach their first NBA championship during the 2018-2019 NBA season.
But due to the ongoing investigation, the trade was put on hold until the investigation was concluded.
The news of Leonard being traded to the Raptors comes after an 11-month investigation by the NBA on Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers for circumventing the NBA’s salary cap. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Leonard’s first stint with the Raptors was a one year fling, as he was traded by the San Antonio Spurs to Toronto.
After helping them win the NBA Finals, where he was crowned Finals MVP, Leonard signed a three-year, $103-million deal with the Clippers.
The Clippers, who had hopes of winning an NBA title with Leonard and were constantly adding around him, could never get over the hump as the closest they came to reaching the NBA Finals was in 2021 where they reached the Western Conference Finals and eventually lost to the Phoenix Suns in six games.
Now on his way back to Toronto following a seven-year stint in Los Angeles, Leonard will have a brand new beginning, while the Clippers will be entering a new dark chapter for the franchise.
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