The NBA’s punishment of the Clippers didn’t exactly hand the Cavaliers a clean break. If anything, it may have dragged Cleveland back into a familiar problem: Kawhi Leonard in the East.
Leonard avoided the kind of league discipline that would have changed everything. The NBA ordered him to pay back $700,000 after finding that the Clippers circumvented the salary cap to pay him behind closed doors, but he was not suspended, his contract was not vetoed, and he remains eligible to be traded.
That last part matters because, per NBA insider Shams Charania, Leonard’s pre-agreed move to the Toronto Raptors is now back in motion. Charania said on the Pat McAfee Show: "The trade as of right now, both sides, the Clippers and the Raptors, they're moving forward as if the trade is going to happen," Charania said on the Pat McAfee Show.
"There's sequencing that has to occur, but the trade call is next, lining that up with the NBA. Both sides have already spoken on Wednesday, and they both have the intention of moving forward with this trade."
For Cleveland, that means the longshot scenario where Leonard’s situation blew up before he could land back in the conference didn’t happen. And if the Raptors complete the deal, Kenny Atkinson’s team could be dealing with Leonard again sooner rather than later.
Leonard isn’t in his prime anymore, and there’s no guarantee he’ll be healthy enough to face the Cavs in the regular season. But he was available for most of his team’s games last season, and he still brings the kind of elite two-way impact that can swing a playoff series.
The reported return to Toronto would send the former Finals MVP back to the Raptors in exchange for Gradey Dick, Brandon Ingram, two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and a pick swap, unless the terms have changed. That kind of package looks different now that the league has taken five first-round selections away from the Clippers, but the direction in Inglewood seems clear after this mess.
And the fit in Toronto is no joke. The Raptors are rising, and Cleveland has had trouble with long, ball-handling wings who can do damage on both ends. Leonard paired with Scottie Barnes creates exactly the kind of problem the Cavs don’t love seeing, especially now that Dean Wade is gone.
The bigger picture in the East only adds to the pressure. In 2026, the Philadelphia 76ers have added Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, Tyrese Haliburton is set to return for the Indiana Pacers, the Boston Celtics remain dangerous, the New York Knicks are the defending NBA champions, and now Leonard may be back in the mix too.
That leaves more weight on Kenny Atkinson, Koby Altman, and a Cavs core that has too often fallen short when it matters most. At the same time, it’s the kind of aggressive move Cleveland fans have been pushing the front office to make for years.
There may still be a silver lining for the Cavs. They already made a major trade with the Clippers last season, so if Los Angeles is forced to fully embrace life after Kawhi, Cleveland could be in position to pick through some of the veterans left behind.
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