Matt Johnson
The Kawhi Leonard era is over for the Los Angeles Clippers, just days after the All-Star forward popped up in NBA trade rumors this summer. It’ll be a reunion north of the border, with the former NBA Finals MVP headed back to the Toronto Raptors.
Let’s dive into the winners and losers from this blockbuster trade between the Clippers and Raptors, which comes just days after the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade.
Winner: Toronto Raptors
We’ll first acknowledge the risks of a Kawhi Leonard trade for the Toronto Raptors. Leonard is heading into his age-35 season and this past campaign marked just the second time since 2017 that he’s played 65-plus games in a season. Durability is a massive long-term worry here and Leonard is certainly going to want a contract extension that makes acquiring him an even bigger gamble for the future. With that said, Toronto just acquired a second-team All-NBA selection who nearly averaged 28 points, .4 rebounds and 2 steals per game while shooting 50.5 percent from the field and he ranked seventh in Win Shares per 48 Minutes (.212). It also didn’t cost Toronto much to acquire him. The acquisition cost justifies the risk being taken on and Toronto should be a force in the Eastern Conference next season.
Loser: Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer placated Leonard and his camp for years, from the time Los Angeles signed him in the summer of 2019 and mortgaged the future to pair him with Paul George to all the side deals and staffing decisions made to make Leonard happy. What did Los Angeles get in return? A single trip to the 2021 NBA Western Conference Finals followed by five consecutive seasons of either missing the NBA Playoffs or suffering a first-round knockout. Now, seven years after landing Leonard, he’s out the door with Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and just two future first-round picks and a pick swap coming back. The Clippers project to be one of the worst teams in the Western Conference next season; they still face discipline from the NBA for the Aspirations scandal, and their 2027 first-round pick is owned by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Winner: Oklahoma City Thunder GM Sam Presti
With the new NBA Draft lottery odds implemented for next season, it’s a safe bet that Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti was grinning when news broke of the Kawhi Leonard trade. Will the Clippers be a bottom-three team in the NBA next season? No. So that means the Clippers’ 2027 first-round pick should have an 8.1 percent chance, the highest odds possible, of landing the first overall pick in the 2027 NBA Draft.
Loser: Adam Silver and the NBA
It has long felt like commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA’s “independent” investigation have been dragging their feet when it comes to the Kawhi Leonard/Steve Ballmer Aspiration scandal. Pablo Torre’s reporting on the matter has been thorough and even the slow-moving wheels of justice just handed down a 14-year prison sentence to Aspiration’s co-founder for his role in the saga. Meanwhile, it’s certainly felt like Silver and the NBA have taken their sweet time with an investigation into the league’s richest owner. Now that Leonard resides in Toronto, will the NBA’s investigation suddenly be put on the fast track with the Raptors dealt a potential blow, or will the matter, for all intents and purposes, be dropped with the NBA giving the Clippers a slap on the wrist since Leonard is no longer with the team?
Loser: Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons felt like the perfect landing spot for Kawhi Leonard. Coming off a 60-win season, the team’s playoff performance made it clear that a co-star was needed to pair with Cade Cunningham. Leonard would’ve filled that role perfectly, giving Cunningham a complementary scorer who can still make an impact on the defensive end. There would be some long-term risk for Detroit, but the Eastern Conference is wide open and the New York Knicks‘ NBA Finals run proves that the championship is truly up for grabs every year. Unfortunately, based on Charania’s reporting, Leonard didn’t have much interest in playing for Detroit. Now the Pistons still have to figure out how much to pay Jalen Duren, but it will likely require an overpay, and the premier option to be the team’s No. 2 next season is off the board. Oh, the East should also be stronger next season as well with the Miami Heat adding Giannis Antetokounmpo, Toronto getting Leonard, and the Indiana Pacers poised to rebound.
