Raptors fans are still waiting on the next move in a deal that would send Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and draft picks to the Clippers for Kawhi Leonard, and the hold-up has turned the situation into something bigger than a simple trade delay.
The deal was first reported in June, but Toronto has paused it while the NBA investigates the Clippers over alleged salary cap circumvention. ESPN later reported that the law firm handling the investigation found no evidence of salary cap circumvention, which briefly suggested the path could be clearing.
Then the NBA pushed back, saying the ESPN report contained some inaccuracies. Since then, the process has gone quiet.
On August 28, Ramona Shelburne said on ESPN LA, “If this trade doesn’t go through, if for some reason Toronto doesn’t want to proceed with it until they know the investigation, the Clippers are fine with Kawhi being back on the team.”
Toronto can’t really afford to be that casual. If Leonard never arrives before the 2026-27 season, the Raptors risk falling well behind where they finished last year, when they ended up fifth in the East.
That would leave the front office facing some tough questions, especially with Scottie Barnes heading into his prime. If the team pushed chips in for a veteran star, watched other Barnes-side options get moved, and still came up empty, it would look rough even if the deal only gets delayed until the trade deadline.
And if Ingram comes back after being traded away for an “upgrade,” that could get uncomfortable fast.
The bigger problem is that the East looks stronger now than it did a year ago.
Only the Pistons, Celtics, Knicks, and Cavs finished ahead of Toronto last season. The Knicks and Celtics are still projected to be strong.
Cleveland should remain solid too, especially if its Peyton Watson addition pays off. Detroit still has to sort out the Jalen Duren situation, but with Cade Cunningham leading the way, the Pistons should still rack up wins.
And that’s before getting to the teams that were behind the Raptors and improved. The 76ers added Jaylen Brown and LeBron James.
The Heat brought in Giannis Antetokounmpo and made several solid free-agent moves. The Pacers also get Tyrese Haliburton back from injury.
Toronto’s defense should keep it competitive most nights, whether Leonard is in the picture or not. But if the Raptors want to really keep pace with the East’s best, they need more from the offense. Right now, that unit has a clear ceiling, with Brandon Ingram as the top scorer alongside Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett.
If they simply run back last season’s group, with Kyle Anderson or rookie Allen Graves replacing Sandro Mamukelashvili, a play-in finish in this new East would not be hard to imagine. And even if Leonard does arrive, there’s still the chance injury leaves Toronto in the same neighborhood. But if he’s healthy, he raises the ceiling in a major way.