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· collected 2026-09-04 · by John Chidley-Hill The Canadian Press
analysis
The NBA has completed an investigation into Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers for salary cap circumvention, resulting in a historic punishment that includes stripping the Clippers of five first-round picks and fining them $30 million. The consequences will impact both the Raptors and Clippers, with the Raptors set to gain a key player while the Clippers face 13 years without using their own first-round pick. Kawhi Leonard is expected to join a strong Raptors lineup, which already features all-star Scottie Barnes, and could help improve Toronto's defensive capabilities. The investigation's findings also affect Toronto's proposed trade with the Clippers, which had been put on hold until the matter was resolved.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The NBA has completed an investigation into Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers, finding that they engaged in salary cap circumvention. As a result, the Clippers have been punished with a $30 million fine and the loss of five first-round draft picks, including one that will be taken in 2032 as their next homegrown pick. The team's owner, Steve Ballmer, and executives Gillian Zucker and Lawrence Frank have also received penalties, including suspensions and a ban for Frank. Meanwhile, Leonard himself has been fined $700,000. The investigation clears the way for a trade between the Clippers and the Toronto Raptors, which had been stalled due to the probe.
Written for “Kawhi Leonard Trade Impact” on 2026-09-05,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 3968 · logged 2026-09-04
The NBA announced Wednesday that it had completed its investigation of Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers for salary cap circumvention, doling out punishments to Leonard, his inner circle and team executives.
asserted
it → announce → Leonard
The conclusion of the investigation also clears the way for a trade between the Toronto Raptors and Clippers that had been on hold for months.
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that → clear → months
Here’s what you need to know about how the pending Toronto-L.A. trade will impact both teams:
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trade → ’ → teams
The NBA stripped the Clippers of five first-round picks and fined the team US$30 million for multiple violations, while Leonard was fined $700,000.
asserted
Leonard → strip → 700,000
Owner Steve Ballmer and team president of business operations Gillian Zucker were each suspended for one year, while president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank was banned for six months.
asserted
Frank → suspend → months
The Clippers will forfeit a first-round pick in five straight NBA drafts starting in 2029.
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Clippers → forfeit → 2029
It’s the stiffest penalty in league history and means that Los Angeles’s next homegrown first-round pick will be taken in 2032.
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pick → ’ → 2032
When the Clippers signed Leonard as a free agent in 2019, one of his demands was that they also acquire forward Paul George.
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they → sign → George
To do that, L.A. had to trade Hamilton’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, five first-round draft picks, and the right to swap two other first-round picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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L.A. → do → Thunder
That trade, coupled with the punishment for circumventing the salary cap to keep Leonard with the Clippers, means that L.A. will go 13 years without being able to use its own first-round pick.
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L.A. → couple → pick
— When Leonard was on the Raptors in 2018-19, he was a bit of a homebody, spending time with his teammates but otherwise just focused on his work.
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he → spend → work
Toronto announced on July 9 that it was pausing the proposed trade with the Clippers until the NBA had completed its investigation.
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NBA → announce → investigation
That didn’t stop Leonard from embracing Toronto’s summer, including taking in matches at the National Bank Open or sitting in the first row of the news conference where Kyle Lowry announced his retirement as a Raptor.
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Lowry → stop → Raptor
Once the deal is submitted to the NBA and approved by the league, Leonard will join a Raptors lineup that includes all-star Scottie Barnes, Canadian swingman RJ Barrett, talented rookie Collin Murray-Boyles, point guard Immanuel Quickley and young rotation pieces Jamal Shead and Ja’Kobe Walter.
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that → submit → Barnes
Toronto had the fifth-best defence in the NBA last season — in both adjusted and unadjusted defensive ratings — and the addition of Leonard could make the Raptors even tougher.
uncertain
Raptors → have → Leonard
A two-time defensive player of the year, Leonard has also been named to seven NBA all-defensive teams.
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Leonard → name → teams
He will also be replacing go-to scorer Brandon Ingram in Toronto’s starting five, swapping arguably the team’s worst defender for one of the best in the league.
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He → replace → league
Barrett, from nearby Mississauga, Ont., is entering the final season of his current contract, earning $29.6 million in 2026-27.
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Barrett → enter → 2026
The Raptors had maxed out their payroll before the Leonard deal, making it hard to re-sign 26-year-old Barrett for the 2027-28 season and beyond.
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it → maxe → season
However, Toronto will send Ingram’s $40 million contract and Gradey Dick’s expiring $7.1 million deal to the Clippers for the 35-year-old Leonard, who is owed $50.3 million this coming season.
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who → send → million
Leonard’s deal expires at the end of the 2026-27 campaign, however, putting the Raptors in a position to re-sign Barrett for 2027-28.
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deal → expire → 2027
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 4, 2026.
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report → publish → Press
