Clippers, Raptors Close to Kawhi Leonard Trade, Windhorst Says
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A deal that would send Kawhi Leonard from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Toronto Raptors could be completed today, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported Tuesday on “Get Up.”
According to Windhorst, the teams have settled on the core of the package: Brandon Ingram would head to Los Angeles. Discussions now center on draft-pick compensation. Toronto owns all of its first-round selections through 2033 and can include up to four in the trade; the Clippers are pushing for multiple picks before signing off.
Windhorst added that Toronto is ready to offer Leonard an extension and that the two-time Finals MVP is willing to sign it. The Clippers, however, have no extension offer on the table, a stance that has propelled the negotiations.
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported that Clippers executives view Leonard as a top-15 player and remain hesitant to finalize the swap without additional first-rounders, believing the current framework favors Toronto.
Leonard is coming off one of the strongest seasons of his career, averaging 27.9 points over 65 games and earning All-NBA Second Team honors. He turned 35 on Monday and carries an extensive injury history, factors contributing to Los Angeles’ reluctance to commit long term.
Late Monday night, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line cited “clear momentum” in the talks and noted that the Clippers have not pursued Celtics forward Jaylen Brown as a potential replacement.
Los Angeles appears to be positioning for further roster moves. By declining team options on Bogdan Bogdanović and Nicolas Batum, and with Bradley Beal opting out, the club created roughly $25 million in cap space Monday. Swapping Leonard for Ingram would trim about $10 million more, potentially giving the Clippers room to chase free agents once the market opens.
Source: Hoops Rumors
