Doug Smith:
Kawhi Leonard sauntering up to mid-court to visit with Larry and Judy Tanenbaum and Bobby Webster might be of note to Raptors fans who absolutely won’t read anything into it — 7/13/2026
Bluesky
Fullcourtpass: Scottie
Barnes on the Raptors potential addition of Kawhi Leonard "Seems very dangerous... We’re trying to take candy from a baby essentially." — 7/11/2026
x.com
The Clippers explored Leonard's trade market for weeks, sources say, before coming to terms on a deal with Toronto. And ... They did so,
sources say, under the impression from the league office that the eventual outcome of the NBA's ongoing investigation into alleged cap impropriety involving Leonard and third-party business sponsor Aspiration would not have any impact on trading their star forward away. — 7/10/2026
marcstein.substack.com
NBABase: Windhorst: “The Clippers still want to do this trade badly they're getting a whole bunch of draft capital in this deal the Raptors in their statement yesterday said they were eager they want this trade to happen but
if Kawhi Leonard faces a real penalty here we could see the trade terms reopened and I think that's what the Raptors are trying to protect themselves.” — 7/10/2026
x.com
The NBA informed the Raptors before they agreed to the trade that the investigation could cause issues with any deal involving Leonard, according to sources briefed on the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the league’s probe is ongoing. Yet when the terms of the deal between the Clippers and Raptors were widely reported on June 30, it forced the league — and commissioner Adam Silver — to decide how to handle this unprecedented situation. — 7/10/2026
New York Times
There is a general bewilderment around the league regarding how long this investigation has lasted, and it’s not unreasonable to think the players’ association would become involved if it continued long enough to jeopardize Leonard’s ability to plan his future— i.e., sign an extension, as his current contract is set to expire after this coming season. The league never suspended Leonard or placed him on leave during the investigation, so the possibility that the Clippers might look to trade him always existed. — 7/10/2026
New York Times
Regardless, the sense is that both teams are not looking to alter the terms of the deal. Leonard was already at the Raptors practice facility in Toronto earlier in the week, and was in attendance for Kyle Lowry’s retirement announcement on Tuesday. Ingram and Dick were in Las Vegas Thursday night watching the Clippers’ summer league team. — 7/10/2026
New York Times
However small the risk might be that Leonard’s contract would be voided, that was reason enough for the Raptors to play it safe by cooperating with the league’s preference to close the investigation before finalizing the trade. The NBA has only voided the contract of one player, Joe Smith, and that was after the Minnesota Timberwolves signed him to three consecutive below-market deals with the promise to sign him to a longer, richer deal in the future. In that case, the league voided Smith’s contract, the Timberwolves released him and the power forward signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Pistons before returning to the Timberwolves the following offseason on a six-year deal. — 7/10/2026
New York Times
The league ignored the public pressure that came from the trade being publicized, those sources say, and maintained its stance that trading for Leonard before the investigation was completed meant the Raptors were, as the team said in a statement Thursday, “assuming the risk of any potential outcome” of the investigation.
Yet while the league’s handling of the situation isn’t seen as a sign that significant discipline is coming for the Clippers and/or Leonard, the potential for Leonard’s contract to be voided is the primary obstacle in this deal going down. That alone speaks volumes about the continued seriousness of the matter. — 7/10/2026
New York Times
AP Hoops:
The expectation is that Brandon Ingram will remain with the LA Clippers once the Kawhi Leonard trade is finalized, per @JakeLFischer . Ingram being rerouted to a third team is not considered likely at this juncture. — 7/10/2026
x.com
