The NBA has been investigating Kawhi Leonard and the LA Clippers for 10 months, and their failure to share a verdict is impacting multiple teams’ offseasons.
Leonard is expected to start next season as a member of the Toronto Raptors after the franchise agreed to a trade to acquire him.
However, the Raptors are holding off on completing the trade until the NBA’s investigation into the Leonard ‘Aspiration’ scandal is complete.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has finally shared a comprehensive update.
Adam Silver wants the investigation to wrap up ASAP
Silver held a press conference at the NBA Board of Governors meeting where he revealed that the NBA is hoping to wrap its Leonard investigation up in the coming months.
“We all have an interest in wrapping this up. I’m hopeful that it will wrap up this summer, so that will continue to be the goal here. I just want to clarify, the league did not pause the trade. The parties to the trade decided not to go forward because the investigation remained open.
“Any possible impact on Kawhi or his contract wasn’t known. They chose not to live with that uncertainty, but that was well-known before the trade was proposed”
“I don’t think there was any reason for anyone to believe that Kawhi’s status would change just because he got traded.”
Both the Clippers and Raptors will be in a holding pattern this offseason until the NBA decides how it wants to punish the Clippers and Leonard.
The Clippers could be forced to void Leonard’s contract and release him into free agency, guaranteeing they receive no return for their All-NBA forward.
If the Raptors complete the trade and such a penalty was handed out, it would mean they traded away Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and draft picks for nothing.
Leonard averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in a career-high scoring season last year, so wherever he ends up will be looked at as one of the contenders for the title next season.
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