The Clippers and Raptors are set to move forward with the Kawhi Leonard trade, with Toronto expected to sign Leonard to a long-term contract extension.
After the conclusion of one of the biggest investigations in NBA history, Kawhi Leonard is finally on his way to officially joining the Toronto Raptors.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Raptors have already talked through the trade and are moving forward with the deal.
“The Clippers and Raptors have already spoken and they have the intention of moving forward with this trade,” Charania stated on the The Pat McAfee Show.
The senior NBA insider also confirmed that Kawhi Leonard is expected to receive a long-term contract extension, which could potentially be the last big contract of his career.
“The expectation is that Kawhi Leonard will be getting an extension in Toronto,” he added.
The aftermath of the investigation 
Kawhi Leonard
Credit AP-Scanpix
Leonard was fined $700,000 for violating salary cap circumvention rules after pressuring the Clippers to help him secure off-court income opportunities and failing to reimburse payments made for personal expenses.
The league also handed down major punishments to the Clippers, including a $30 million fine, the loss of five first-round picks, and a one-year suspension for owner Steve Ballmer.
Leonard faced backlash following the ruling, with critics calling him the winner of the situation after he reportedly collected tens of millions of dollars in endorsement deals while only having to pay $700,000 in restitution.
The 35-year-old is entering the 15th season of his career, returning to the Raptors after seven years, to the place where he spent one season and brought the franchise its only NBA title.
Kawhi is coming off a season with the Clippers where he averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 assists in 65 appearances, while becoming an All-Star and being selected to the All-NBA Second Team.
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