Kawhi trade to Raptors could be CANCELED if NBA investigation continues 👀 | NBA Today

Podcast and former ESPN contributor Pablo Torre is reporting that the Clippers circumvented the NBA salary cap by arranging a no -show job for Kawhi Leonard back in 2022.When Steve Ballmer came and had that interview with Ramona Shelburne, he had plausible deniability.

Was there an exception made in terms of our relationship with aspiration?Absolutely not.

These revolutions that came out today had substantially less plausible deniability.

The vice chairman of the Clippers made an independent decision to invest in aspiration nine days before Kawhi Leonard got paid when no one else was getting paid.Up broad, do your powers extend?

As far as penalties you can assess to the Clippers, to Kawhi Leonard, are very broad powers in these situations.

We start our show with a developing story, which centers around one of the biggest question marks that hangs over the NBA.So we're 10 months into the investigation into Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers, and cap circumvention, and it's been a lengthy one.So what you're looking at here is just the timeline.So let's go back.September 3, 2025.That is when the NBA announced it would be investigating allegations of cap circumvention with the Clippers and Leonard that surrounded a sponsorship deal with the now bankrupt Green Banking Company Aspiration.

season later in the Clippers they have agreed to trade Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors.That was what Shams reported back on June 30th.But less than two weeks after that the teams announced that the trade would be on hold until the league completed the investigation.And then a week after that that is when Commissioner Adam Silver said that he wanted the investigation completed before the start of the twenty twenty six twenty twenty seven season.And that is where we begin now that we're all caught up.I'm joined by a quartet of our senior writers Baxter Holmes Jonah Shelburne, Mark Spears, and Vincent Goodwill.

I want to start with you, Baxter, here, because you have some lengthy new reports.on, up to the minute, what is happening with this investigation.So let's just start there with the timeline.How much longer could this continue on?

Well, it could go well into 2027.And part of that is because it's If you look at the collective bargaining agreement, it basically lays out the process for this, which could include arbitration.It could also include an appeals panel.There's several different parties that are coming to the table.It's not as simple as the NBA basically finding evidence and rendering punishment or not.There's a lot of different steps that have to play out from here and there or from now until then.

And different sources I've talked to have said, given all those steps, They have a hard time seeing any full resolution being reached before the start of the season.

OK so if full resolution Ramona is not reached before the start of the season and could continue into next calendar year does that open up the possibility that Kawhi Leonard could be on the Clippers to start the season?

Yes.I mean, it sounds crazy after a trade like this.But this was the Toronto Raptors being given a choice of, are you willing to assume the risks of something happening with Kawhi Leonard after the investigation is completed?And they are not willing to assume those risks.And so if they're not, then we get to the end of the summer.And there's not a resolution here.

And there's nobody from the NBA who can say with 100 % certainty that there won't be any more and fall out for Kawhi Leonard specifically.Then it's up to the Raptors.And I understand that because we just saw what happened with the Miami Heat and Terry Rozier.NBA had an investigation.A couple of people pointed me to this very specifically.They had an investigation into Rozier.

They didn't find anything.And then a year later after the Heat had traded for him they get stuck with a player who is now out of the league.And there was some there was they had given up draft compensation.Right.And settled that out of court.So I can see a world in which Kawhi Leonard is back on the Clippers if this trade doesn't go through and the Clippers Quite frankly are fine with that.

Yeah, they did the trade.They like Brandon Ingram, but.they like Koi Leonard, too.This only happened because they weren't really willing to extend him.

I cannot remember a situation, Mark Spears, and you have covered the NBA much longer than I have, that has ever resulted in something quite like this.To you, this feels very unprecedented.

Yeah, and then the guy kind of stuck in the middle is the all -star Brandon Ingram.Sure.Me and Glorilla trying to figure this out right now.Like, are we going to be in Toronto?Are we going to be in LA?And I talked briefly with Rich Paul, and he's like, it's a business.

Brandon knows it's a business.He's fine either way.He's also making $40 million.That helps.So this is like, you know, a first world problem.But he said Brandon's in a good head space.

Either way, I would assume he might be upset.But according to Rich, he's good.

Adam Silver's in a real trick bag here, because he has to make a decision on the investigation, but also look steps ahead on what arbitration could look like if there are penalties levied on Steve Ballmer.And we know Steve Ballmer can lawyer up as well as anybody.So you have to take not just the steps of the evidence, but also protect the league and their interest in this.And this is so unprecedented, Malika and everyone else.A top 30 player, a two -time finals MVP, who's still pretty much effective.tilting the balance of possibly the Eastern Conference if he goes to Toronto or if he stays with the Clippers.

The thing that I would emphasize here is the seriousness of the charge of salary cap circumvention.You know, I think some people might hear that and think that this is not that big of a deal, but the salary cap is really what governs competitive balance and fairness across the league.It's as serious as a charge as you can levy against an NBA team.So the NBA is going to look at this very carefully, because that's not something that you, it's not a parking ticket.You can't just approach that kind of gingerly.And the Clippers are certainly, they've maintained their innocence from the very beginning, that they did not funnel money to Kawhi Leonard through aspiration.

And sources I've talked to have said they're motivated to clear their name.long this takes.

OK.And by the way, this timeline isn't necessarily determined by the NBA.It's determined by how long it takes to gather the evidence that the outside law firm deems appropriate to see this to completion.Right, Ramona?That's what we're looking at here.

Well, if you're the NBA and you've taken this long, you need to get it right.Because there's a legal challenge that the Clippers can have, but also the rest of the league, which is what Baxter's pointing.The rest of the league is going to want to see this report.But one way or the other, they're going to want to read it.But does Steve Ballmer want them to see the like these are all things that are going to need to be arbitrated or at least discussed between the league and the Clippers before we even get to a resolution of whether or not Kawhi Leonard has any penalties on.

Right.And this is something that's really chewy.There's a lot of very dense information here that we're working our way through.And I understand that it's the middle of July.But at the end of the day, why we started our show here is because there is a real possibility that Kawhi Leonard and the trade with the Toronto Raptors that is completely in flux.and it may not go through.

You've played in the NBA.You've analyzed it for many years.I've never seen something quite like this.How could this process, and the way it plays out, maybe shape the way that this season starts?

Well, look, let me say this.If I'm the Toronto Raptors, I'm finding a way to get up out of this deal.I'm finding a way to back out.I want out.I don't want to even be involved with this no more.I don't even want to be involved think about having koala in the uniform because now all of a sudden say if you if this lingers on and they get closer to the season and I understand Rich Paul is talking about Brandon Ingram understands.

It's a business, but we're talking about real human beings here.We're talking about Brandon Ingram and Grady Dick, who was a crucial part of the Raptors' success last year, as far as them being relevant again and making it to the postseason.If I'm the Raptors, I want to call this trade off.I want to call my two key rotation guys, back in and I want to start healing those wounds right now.So then when I get to training camp, I don't have to deal with that.I don't have to worry about if a guy is going to be this grungle.

We saw the effect when it happened to don't Dalton connect with the Los Angeles Lakers.He wasn't right when he got he hasn't been right since right.

So any I mean we have for the most plugged in reporters on the NBA.Has anyone heard anything to that effect at the Raptors?I mean, is there a timeline here that the Raptors are going to say, no, we are out.This can't continue into the season.Because it's not the NBA that's going to say that.It would have to be one of the teams.

Has anyone heard anything to that effect?

I haven't heard them trying to back out.I think the discussion is more of a league -wide discussion, which is when you have a trade that gets held up, whether it's a failed physical or something like this on the back, you can modify the trade.

So let me ask you this, then.If you are Mark Spears, the Golden State Warriors, or the Miami Heat, or one of these teams that did not get LeBron James, would you be willing, if this trade goes through, doesn't go through, to say, you know what, we would be willing to take that risk?

I mean, Brandon Ingram is a very impressive scorer.You put him next to Steph, you put him next to Giannis.If I'm a team, yeah, I mean, maybe you call...

But he's back in Toronto.Would you be willing to make the first...No, what I'm saying...Why?Would you be willing to call the Cougars...No, absolutely not.

And say, hey, I will make this deal?No.

I think you explored.I think if you're one of these other teams who came away empty in the offseason and you didn't get LeBron James, think about the Detroit Pistons.They have all the all these salary cap exceptions that they can make and they struck out in free agency.It's too much risk that the question is if the risk is there, does that mitigate what the trade value is?Can you get quite absolutely at a lower price?Because think about the Clippers have gone full in on going young.

But in which case why would the Clippers deal him if the price is that much lower?You just wait for resolution.Right.But if you get a visit at the trade deadline, he comes back to the Clippers.

You explore it.

Sure.He comes back to the Clippers perk.Let's say you get a resolution.He comes back to the Clippers.The Clippers then have to face the question of, do you want to play someone who's had injuries over the years?And then that could be another risk that you're taking a look at.

Yeah.And then you would try to find a new home for him up until the trade deadline.Think about it, right?I mean, you're talking about a got it the reason that one of the reasons that they want one of the reasons that they want to trade them is because they don't want to give them a contract extension well if i'm going to state I'm actually hoping it hoping this deal does get called off and I get to monitor this situation because if Kawhi Leonard goes back to the Clippers, if I'm Golden State, then I'm picking up the phone and I'm seeing what's up with Kawhi Leonard because Golden State don't have time to waste.Like Steph Curry is 39 years old.Steph Curry played at an all NBA level last year when he was available.

Steph Curry needs another dude on the side of him.We don't know what Jimmy Butler's going going to look like.So again, it's an investigation.I feel like they should hurry up.But I know it's a lot of things, a lot of T's that has to be crossed, a lot of I's that has to be dotted.And Vinny said it best.

We're talking about Steve Ballmer, one of the richest men in America.You know what I mean?So when it comes to getting a lawyer to fight against anybody, I know he's prepared.

I think that the NBA very much wants to get this right.And I think there's a lot of attention on it.And they can look at, you know, You know, does the NBA want to do this?I think the NBA wants to get this right.People have said to me all throughout that Adam Silver has forecast that in all his comments about how the burden of proof is on the league, that we're going to follow the facts.They want to be thorough so that at the end of the day, this process can look fair, transparent, accurate, and that everybody can feel at peace with what happened.

And ultimately, as basketball fans, wecan sit up here and talk about the trade implications.But as you said, Caps are convent in that fairness is the jewel of the league and where everything sits.So just to add another wrinkle, the league decided that they were going to schedule the Clippers Raptors to meet in a preseason game in Vancouver because that's, you know, close for everybody.That's October 10th.It's a part of the NBA's Canada game series, so we'll see if this is resolved before then.

Baxter, thank you very much for that reporting.Let's check in on some other storylines that we've been following around the league.It's time for some full court press, and we're going to start with Carl Anthony Towns because he does have two years left on his current contract with New York.He is eligible to extend for four years $272 million.Vince, what are you hearing on if he may sign that?

Go back to during the season when Karl -Anthony Towns wanted an extension from the Knicks.The Knicks did not offer him one.He was disappointed.But he says he wants to be a Knick for life.He said, these are the things that handle themselves in the offseason as long as I handle myself on the floor.The Knicks won the championship.

Karl -Anthony Towns was the hub.He's expecting some resolution to that soon.

Well, the Detroit Pistons are hoping to play spoiler to the New York Knicks.And in Detroit, Jalen Durin remains a restricted free agent.Mark, you talked with his now former teammate Isaiah Stewart yesterday on what Durin's thinking.learn.

Isaiah really feels like he proved.that he deserved a contract.He made an all -star.And I think a lot of times teams shouldn't look so much as a postseason.You got to look at the whole body of work.And Isaiah says that Jalen believes he proved no matter what happened in the playoffs that he's just deserving of this money.

Yeah.And Choms has just reported that they're far apart on what that money should look like.Not an extension at all.Sticking in the East where there's been a lot of news to Cleveland.That's where James Harden remains unsigned after offing out of his contract with the Cavaliers to Ramona.What's the latest?

What are we going to see the former MVP put some pen to paper?

I think that could happen relatively soon.The question is going to be, is it a two -year deal, a three -year deal, what the structure looks like?going to determine what the money looks like.But the Cavs are still poking around with Peyton Watson, and I think that's why James has given them a lot of room to negotiate.

The Cavaliers, they know that they need to continue to work to improve if they want to get past where they did last year.