The Portland Trail Blazers had their eyes on plenty of stars this offseason, from Giannis Antetokounmpo to LaMelo Ball to Jaylen Brown. In the end, they landed Ja Morant. And as the Kawhi Leonard situation keeps getting messier, that might be the cleanest miss Portland avoided all summer.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Baxter Holmes reported that the NBA is still investigating whether the Los Angeles Clippers worked around the salary cap to pay Leonard. The process could stretch all the way into 2027 if the sides can’t agree on the findings or any settlement.
That leaves the Toronto Raptors caught in the middle, even though the problems surrounding Leonard were already brewing long before they moved to bring back their 2019 Finals MVP. Now both Toronto and Los Angeles are staring at uncertainty heading into the 2026-27 season.
For Portland, the comparison is simple. The Blazers still have issues to sort out after the Morant trade, especially when it comes to shooting and forward depth.
But they at least know what their roster looks like when camp opens. New head coach Micah Nori will have time to sort through the pieces and figure out how to make them work.
Toronto doesn’t have that luxury. The Raptors don’t even know whether Leonard will be on the team.
The situation has dragged on far too long, and the league is still waiting for the fallout to be sorted out. For now, Toronto’s 2026-27 outlook is tied to a process it can’t control while it waits for whatever punishment may come.
Morant’s off-court history was a major talking point when Portland was linked to star trade chatter, but the Blazers are betting on a fresh start and giving him the benefit of the doubt. Leonard, by contrast, is the player tied to an active investigation that is now affecting two franchises.
That alone makes Portland’s choice to stay away from Leonard look smarter by the day. It also underlines how much the concern around Morant had been inflated.
There was another practical reason to steer clear: Leonard has just one year left on his $50 million deal. Trading for him would have meant risking future assets for what could have been nothing more than a one-year rental, much like Portland’s inability to land Giannis.
With the Leonard situation still unresolved and Toronto not even sure what it has entering the season, the Blazers should feel pretty good about how this one played out.
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For Portland fans, the larger hook is the old friendship angle with Gary Payton II, which is why the story has spread beyond the usual tabloid lane. The online discussion has only grown as more details were floated around the rumor, including a claim about Lillard using one of his restaurants for a birthday celebration, but for now it remains just that, a rumor waiting on any real confirmation. [Read more 🡒]
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Yang Hansen Already Faces A Tough Blazers Reality Check
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Portlands latest frontcourt moves suggest the organization is still viewing Hansen as a long-term project rather than an immediate answer. The Blazers remain invested in his development, but the addition of more depth up front leaves his path to a bigger role looking crowded, especially with the team continuing to build around players it trusts more right now. [Read more 🡒]