The Kawhi Leonard trade is official. On Monday, the Toronto Raptors announced that they have acquired Kawhi Leonard from the LA Clippers. In return, Toronto sends Brandon Ingram, Gradey D, two future first-round picks, one future first-round pick swap and two future second-round picks.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported that both franchises had agreed to complete the deal before scheduling the trade call. The teams first agreed to terms earlier in the summer. The agreement then stayed pending for weeks, and roster coverage in August mentioned an NBA investigation as a possible complication.
Leonard returns to the franchise he led to its first NBA championship in 2018-19. That was the only season he spent in Toronto before he joined the Clippers.
The Kawhi Leonard trade, asset by asset
The two first-round picks going to Los Angeles are in 2031 and 2033, and neither has protections. The Clippers receive those selections wherever they land in the draft order, including at the top.
The full set of assets moving in the deal:
| Asset | Moves to | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Kawhi Leonard | Raptors | $50.3m in 2026-27, final year of contract |
| Brandon Ingram | Clippers | $40.0m in 2026-27 |
| Gradey D | Clippers | $7.13m in 2026-27; No. 13 pick in 2023 |
| First-round picks | Clippers | 2031 and 2033, unprotected |
| First-round pick swap | Clippers | 2027 |
| Second-round picks | Clippers | 2030 and 2033 |
Salary figures are 2026-27 amounts.
The 2027 swap is the nearest piece of the package. In a standard swap, the team holding the right can exchange its own first-round pick for the other team's pick if that pick lands higher. The announced details did not include protection terms for the swap or the two second-rounders.
The Clippers now hold draft assets from this deal in four separate drafts: 2027, 2030, 2031 and 2033. What those picks become depends on where they fall, and the two firsts are five and seven drafts away.
Dick is a guard-forward whom Toronto drafted 13th overall in 2023, and he carries a $7.13 million salary this season. All 190 of his NBA games so far came in a Raptors uniform.
Ingram joined Toronto in a trade with New Orleans in February 2025. He leaves about 19 months later, after a full season as a starting forward.
27.9 points a night, a career high
Leonard's 2025-26 season with the Clippers was the best scoring year of his career. He averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists across 65 games. It was his seventh consecutive season averaging at least 20 points.
That season he also finished seventh in MVP voting, played in the All-Star Game and made the All-NBA Second Team.
Last season's production, set against the two players leaving Toronto:
| Player | Sample | Games | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kawhi Leonard | 2025-26, Clippers | 65 | 27.9 | 6.4 | 3.6 |
| Brandon Ingram | 2025-26, Raptors | 77 | 21.5 | 5.6 | 3.7 |
| Gradey D | Career, Raptors | 190 | 9.2 | 2.5 | 1.1 |
Based on those numbers, Leonard gives Toronto 6.4 more points per game than Ingram produced from the same forward spot, with similar rebounding and passing output. Availability points the other way. Ingram played 12 more games last season, averaging 33.8 minutes.
Leonard's career record explains why Toronto was willing to pay this price. Across 14 NBA seasons and 798 games (769 starts) with San Antonio, Toronto and the Clippers, his record includes:
- Seven All-Star selections, seven All-NBA selections and seven All-Defensive Team honours
- Two NBA championships and two Finals MVP awards
- Two Defensive Player of the Year awards
- A place on the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team, named in 2021
Raptors general manager Bobby Webster tied the move directly to that history. "We're thrilled to welcome Kawhi back to Toronto. His impact on our organization, our city, and our country is undeniable, and he embodies the competitiveness and championship mindset that we value," Webster said.
Toronto's payroll climbs by about $3.2 million
Leonard's $50.3 million cap hit replaces $47.13 million in outgoing salary: Ingram's $40 million and Dick's $7,131,511. The net addition to Toronto's books is $3,168,489.
In August, before the trade became official, Toronto's payroll was reported at roughly $202.7 million. The deal lifts that to around $205.9 million, not counting any roster changes made since.
Leonard also becomes the highest-paid player on the roster, ahead of Scottie Barnes. After the trade, the four largest salaries are:
- Kawhi Leonard: $50.3m
- Scottie Barnes: $41.75m
- Immanuel Quickley: $32.5m
- RJ Barrett: $29.6m
On the court, the change is simple. Leonard takes the starting forward spot Ingram held in pre-trade projections, playing alongside Quickley, Barrett, Barnes and Poeltl.
The second-order effect is in the rotation. Dick averaged 20.6 minutes per game over his career, and those minutes now go to guards such as Ja'Kobe Walter and Jamal Shead. Collin Murray-Boyles and rookie first-round pick Allen Graves were already in line for bigger roles. Veteran additions Kyle Anderson and Andre Jackson Jr. add depth.
Toronto reached the playoffs last season when few expected it. This deal is the clearest signal yet that the front office wants to build on that result now rather than wait for its younger players to develop.
One season left on a $149.5 million contract
Leonard is entering the final year of a three-year, $149,505,800 maximum veteran extension he signed with the Clippers. The 2026-27 season is the last year covered, and he is due to become an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
He turned 35 on June 29. That is the central tension in Toronto's decision. The Raptors gave up unprotected picks in 2031 and 2033 for a player whose current contract ends four years before the first of those drafts.
Webster described the trade in longer terms. "We believe his leadership, experience and talent will help us as we continue building toward our next championship," he said. That language suggests the club sees Leonard as more than a one-season addition. No new contract has been announced.
For the Clippers, the deal ends a seven-season run with Leonard, a Los Angeles native who arrived in 2019 straight after the Toronto title. They take on Ingram's $40 million and Dick's $7.13 million for 2026-27. Both players join a roster that includes Darius Garland, John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanović, Derrick Jones Jr. and Bennedict Mathurin.
Webster also thanked the two departing players, praising the "work ethic, character, and basketball excellence" that Ingram and Dick brought to Toronto.
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