The Kawhi Leonard blockbuster between the Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors still hasn’t been finalized, and Brandon Ingram may be the reason why.
Leonard’s return to Toronto is the headliner here. It’s the place where he won a championship a few years ago, and now, later in his career, he has a real chance to chase more success with a Raptors team that looks like it could be very good.
The Clippers side of the deal is what’s drawing extra attention, though. Ingram is a solid player, but not a star, and the gap between the player people imagine and the one he’s actually been is part of why this situation has become interesting. He’s not a negative asset, and he can still fit on a team like Los Angeles.
Still, the fact that the trade remains unprocessed has led to questions about whether the Clippers are trying to reroute Ingram in a bigger move.
“The fact that the Clippers and Raptors have not processed the Kawhi Leonard trade is likely due to LA trying to find a team to take on Brandon Ingram, who is on a deal with two years and $82 million remaining (including a player option),” Sean Deveny wrote.
If the Clippers don’t want to keep him, moving on makes sense - but only if they can get something worthwhile back. A pick or two, or a young player, would be the kind of return that makes the most sense.
Ingram probably won’t bring back a huge haul, but if Los Angeles is set on moving him, there’s no real reason to hold onto him.
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