After days of intense speculation that things were headed this way, Kawhi Leonard is officially, in fact, coming back to the Toronto Raptors.
ESPN insider Shams Charania broke the news on Tuesday afternoon on X (formerly Twitter) that the Los Angeles Clippers were trading Leonard to the Raptors in exchange for a package that includes Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, multiple draft picks.
“BREAKING: The Los Angeles Clippers are nearing deal sending Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, 2 first-round picks, 1 pick swap and 2 second-rounders, sources tell ESPN. A return to Canada for the Raptors champion and two-time Finals MVP,”
The 34-year-old Leonard is set to enter the third and final year of the three-year, $149.5 million maximum contract extension he originally signed with the Clippers in 2024. He averaged a career-high 27.9 points per game to go along with 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 65 appearances last season.
Charania has since revealed that while multiple other teams had interest in trading for Leonard and offering him a new contract, the seven-time NBA All-Star only wanted a return to Toronto.
That decision was driven by a combination of familiarity with the city and organization, as well as the opportunity to contend for another championship with a Raptors team that took the Cleveland Cavaliers to a Game 7 in the first round of this year’s playoffs. He has also reported that Leonard has a desire to finish his career and retire in Toronto.
It’s a fascinating move by GM Bobby Webster, who acquired Ingram for a haul at the 2025 trade deadline and subsequently extended him to a three-year contract. While Ingram had a very good first year with the Raptors, Leonard is a different level of player that they couldn’t pass up, and he will now form in tandem with Scottie Barnes as one of the premier duos in all of basketball.
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