He Gave Up a Huge Sum for His Toronto Return, Then Signed a $115 Million Deal!

After a two-and-a-half-month wait and an NBA investigation involving the Los Angeles Clippers, Toronto has finally pulled off a blockbuster trade, bringing back the man who led them to a championship title in 2019. Shortly after Kawhi Leonard's return to Canada was made official, the two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP signed a new two-year contract with the Raptors.

According to renowned basketball insider Shams Charania, the popular "Klaw" agreed to a two-year contract extension worth $115 million, with a player option for the 2028-29 season. This deal means the 35-year-old star now has a three-year contract with the Raptors valued at $165 million.

To facilitate financial flexibility and accommodate the club's rising budget costs, Leonard agreed to a sum $11 million less than the maximum amount he was entitled to. Previously, during his trade from the Los Angeles Clippers, he also waived a trade bonus of $7.45 million.

The trade that brought Kawhi Leonard back to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Grady Dick, two unprotected first-round picks, one first-round pick swap right, and two second-round picks, was agreed upon with the Los Angeles Clippers on June 30th but was only finalized last week.

However, the deal's completion was put on hold in early July when the NBA informed Toronto that the club would be liable for potential sanctions as part of the league's investigation into the Clippers for alleged salary cap circumvention. Consequently, both clubs decided to await the final outcome of the league's inquiry before officially concluding the transaction.

The resolution of this entire saga saw the Clippers ultimately penalized with the forfeiture of five first-round picks in future drafts, a $30 million fine, and a one-year suspension for club owner Steve Ballmer. Additionally, Leonard himself paid $700,000 in compensation for improper benefits allegedly provided by the club to his uncle and former business representative, Dennis Robertson.

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