🚨 BREAKING: Kawhi Leonard trade will not be complete until NBA investigation is over | NBA Today

Viva!It may be 110 degrees outside on the strip, but inside the Thomas and Mack Center, things are going to get a little hotter.13 first -round picks taking the floor as the 2026 NBA Summer League kicks off today, highlighted by the blockbuster matchup between the two top picks in the draft, AJ DeBonza and Darren Peterson.And as befits such a big occasion, look at the lineup.We have front office insider on his birthday.

Thank you.

Former number one pick today, Ogumake, Danny Green has made the trip to Vegas.But first, right off the top of NBA Today, we have some breaking news.And for that, we're going to go to Shams Sharania here in Vegas.Shams.

Hannah, sources tell me that the Clippers -Raptors trade centered around Kawhi Leonard will not be complete until the Clippers are done with their investigation with the NBA into the aspiration situation regarding allegations of funneling money to Kawhi Leonard through endorsement deals.And so earlier this week, the Raptors and Clippers were set to have a trade call to finalize the deal that sent Kawhi Leonard back to Toronto for Brandon Ingram, Grady Dick, and draft assets.But the league, I'm told, ended up delaying that call and now has decided that the teams will not be moving forward unless the Raptors assume the risk of potential Outcomes that come from that in base investigation.We still don't have a timeline for that investigation Adam Silver said about a month ago that it could be coming to be wrapped up soon It still has not been and so over the last several weeks the Clippers have engaged with multiple teams around Kawhi Leonard trade talks None of those teams operated with any restriction that they would be dealing with any fallout after a deal being completed for Kawhi Leonard But now that the Raptors and Clippers were set to finalize this deal do the jobcall with the NBA.The NBA has essentially paused that conversation until the end of their investigation.

The Raptors decide today that they will not be assuming the risk of any discipline or any other fallout that could happen with Kawhi Leonard after the league investigation is over.So the Raptors and the Clippers are on hold as well as Kawhi Leonard, Brandon Ingram, and Grady Dick right now.

Wow, so a lot of people, both teams in limbo.And if you can, Choms, just remind people how long this investigation has already been going on.

Hannah, this investigation with the league has been going on for about 10 months, and the Clippers have been at the center of the league's investigation into whether this company aspiration, along with the Clippers, had funneled money to Kawhi Leonard on the side.Kawhi Leonard, his former business associate and uncle, Dennis Robertson have been interviewed by the league in the last couple of months as the league has been trying to whittle down their investigation along with a third party law firm, Wachtell.But now it has had impact on trade that Kawhi Leonard is supposed to be going to Toronto.And the expectation around all sides is that this deal will end up happening at the end of the day, Hannah.But this just in, that deal is now on hold until the NBA's investigation is over.

Yeah, Shams, thank you so much also for reminding people of the complex nature of what the league is trying to unravel here and still has not reached a conclusion.And so Bobby Marks, as we go back to our panel here, this is something that you had been saying could affect this trade possibly.And we hadn't seen this trade finalized.So what's your reaction to what you heard from Shams?

Well, it's funny.Danny and I are looking at each other.We're both saying, wow,And I think once we got to noon on July 6th and then we got to that night and there was no trade, then there was talk, well, maybe that deal is going to be expanded.Maybe Peyton Watson was included here.But now we are on July 9th.

The trade has not been finalized, as Shams said.I give the league credit at least as far as giving the Raptors a heads up because remember we went through this with Terry Rozier Miami and Charlotte make a trade for Terry Rozier.He had been investigated.There was no wrongdoing.The Heat trade for him and then he is basically suspended for the year and they had given up a draft pick here.It's a story that's going to continually develop here.

Hopefully, as Sean said, this is 10 months in.Right.Hopefully we're going to get some closure pretty soon on this investigation.

It kind of tells you it's taken this long.It tells you That there are still questions to be answered.

Yeah, I'm not a fan of it obviously I know the league has to do what it's supposed to do like what it needs to do I hope this ends quicker because this is really putting a damper on a homecoming for Kawhi And you see him at Kyle Lowry's your retirement shout out to Kyle our he deserves all the flowers in the world because he's one of the greatest teammates I've ever had he's a great player had a hell of a tenure, but Kawhi's happy He's at home city is buzzing.They all love him.Everybody's excited that he's back in Toronto, and now you have this news So I'm not a fan of it I know the league has to do with this pose it but hopefully they can close this up sooner than later so that we can have Kawhi back in Toronto sooner than later.

Yeah, I would say that the silver lining is that at least there's some accountability for this to be over.So people choose whether or not they assume the responsibility in the conversations with Kawhi because you don't want this to continue to linger 10 months, 11, 12.We're at a year mark.And so I see this more so as accountability for all sides to put this to bed because this was one of those stories that followed the Clippers and followed Kawhi.And I think this is finally the level to say, all right, let's Let's make sure this is addressed before anything else happens.

Yeah, listen, it still has to be adjudicated.Obviously, we're going to see what penalties.come down from this But it really is I know you don't like seeing it.It does feel fair.

Yes, you Toronto Oh considering the price that they had to give up you unprotected first a pick swap Brandon Ingram here the last thing that they could say was well, you know, we're okay with the responsibility and then all of a sudden the Investigation comes and you have a player that potentially might not be able to play here, right?

They shouldn't have to pay the price for anything that happened.

Yeah again, it is fair as well what needs to happen.I was hoping that it was settled by after All -Star, they hosted it and then 2 in Dome, so we was hoping the news happened then.Hopefully it ends before the summer's over.

I'm sure everybody was hoping that that would be settled.Again, Adam Silver said soon, whatever that means, but better sooner rather than later.