Kawhi Leonard is staying put. The Toronto Raptors decided to keep the 35-year-old around for multiple seasons, reportedly signing him to a two-year, $115 million extension Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The move comes as Leonard was set to enter the final year of the three-year, $149 million extension he signed with the Clippers in 2024. Under his previous deal, Leonard was set to make $50.3 million during the 2026-27 NBA season.
Leonard’s new deal is worth slightly less than the max. The forward was eligible to sign a two-year, $126 million deal, but ultimately decided to take a little bit less from the team, per TSN Sports.
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The deal also comes after a tumultuous offseason for Leonard, one that resulted in the forward being traded back to the Raptors, only to have that trade put on hold thanks to an NBA investigation looking into whether he received impermissible benefits from the Clippers when he originally signed with the team.
The NBA came down hard on the Clippers as a result of that investigation, docking the team five first-round draft picks, fining owner Steve Ballmer $30 million and suspending him for a year. Leonard was not suspended as part of the investigation, though was fined $700,000.
With Leonard eligible to play during the 2026-27 NBA season, the Raptors decided to move forward with the trade, which was completed in September. The team then decided to ink Leonard for the long haul.
The move marks a long-term commitment between the Raptors and Leonard, something neither side could agree on the last time the two linked up.
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That turned out to be an extremely productive season, as Leonard helped lead the Raptors to an NBA championship. While Leonard reportedly entertained offers from the Raptors during that stint in free agency, he ultimately joined the Clippers in a deal that resulted in the NBA’s investigation.
For the most part, it wasn’t a highly productive pairing between Leonard and the Clippers. While the franchise made the playoffs multiple times and Leonard has turned in All-Star performances, the Clippers have yet to win an NBA championship.
That was the main goal when the Clippers originally signed Leonard ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season. Leonard was supposed to come to the Clippers, bring another superstar along with him and immediately vault the team into a championship contender.
Things looked good early on, as Leonard and Paul George led the Clippers on two deep playoff runs in their first two years in Los Angeles. Leonard, however, missed the entire 2021-22 season due to an ACL injury.
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He returned to action the following year, leading the Clippers back to the playoffs the next three seasons. The Clippers, however, lost in the first round in each of those playoff appearances.
Despite Leonard posting a career-high 27.9 points per game and garnering MVP votes for the first time in four seasons, he failed to lead the Clippers back to the postseason last year. At 42-40, the team was forced to take part in the play-in tournament, where it was eliminated by the Golden State Warriors.
Given Leonard’s age, and the team’s declining performance in recent years, it was unclear which path the Clippers would take in the offseason. Given the investigation, punishment and Leonard’s age and contract situation, the team ultimately decided to ship Leonard out. While that deal was on hold briefly, the Clippers and Raptors decided to complete the deal after the NBA’s investigation concluded.
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Considering all that, the extension is a risk. But given Leonard’s production, it also might not be the worst idea. In his six seasons with the Clippers, Leonard averaged 25.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. He made four All-Star teams and received MVP votes three times. While Leonard is no longer in his prime, he proved he could still play at a high level last season.
The Raptors know how valuable Leonard’s on-court production can be. This time around, the team isn’t willing to let him walk after just one season.
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