7 days after NBA punishment, why Kawhi Leonard has not been traded to Raptors

Now almost a week after the announcement of their punishment, the LA Clippers are trying to get their house in order before the start of the 2026-27 NBA season. Kawhi Leonard is still a Clipper, but is expected to head to the Toronto Raptors in short time. The Clippers will be without suspended owner Steve Ballmer for one whole year and without suspended President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank for six months as part of the NBA’s harsh hammer landed for circumventing the salary cap. The NBA has announced their findings from the Kawhi Leonard investigation and HEAVILY punished the LA Clippers. — Clippers forfeit 5 first-round draft picks – one in each of the 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, and 2033 NBA Drafts. — Clippers are fined $30 million. — Clippers owner… pic.twitter.com/3hSnS82Z6F — Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) September 2, 2026 Additionally, Clippers President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker is also suspended for an entire year alongside Ballmer. Without their lead decision maker in Frank and Ballmer, the Clippers are presently working on structuring their front office, which is likely a direct reason the Kawhi Leonard trade with the Toronto Raptors has not been finalized. Trent Redden, LA Clippers General Manager, appears to be the next man in line to lead the Clippers decision-makers. Alongside him, the Clippers also have high-ranking front office members like Assistant General Managers Jud Winton and Mark Hughes, Executive Director of Basketball Operations Rishabh Desai, and Senior Manager of Basketball Operations, Marcus Banks. Back in late June, just before the start of free agency, the Clippers and Toronto Raptors agreed on a framework for a trade that would send Kawhi Leonard to Toronto in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first round picks, two second round picks, and one first round pick swap. The Raptors then put the trade on hold after being told they could be facing some of the penalties if Leonard were on their team and he was found guilty of something in the NBA’s investigation. Since the start of July, the trade has been on hold and continues to be. At this time, the trade doesn’t appear to be in jeopardy and the originally agreed-upon framework of the trade should still be what ends up being finalized. The biggest headline of the Clippers’ punishments is having to forfeit five first-round draft picks, one in each of the 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, and 2033 NBA Drafts. Additionally, the Clippers are also being fined $30 million. According to the NBA, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has also been suspended from all league and team activities for one year for knowingly seeking to help Leonard obtain off-court income opportunities, for approving a business deal that he knew was a precondition for Aspiration to enter into an endorsement agreement with Leonard, and for his failure to create conditions under which his organization abided by the NBA’s circumvention rules. Along with Ballmer facing a suspension, both team President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker and President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank will face penalties. Zucker has been suspended by the NBA without pay for one year for being primarily and directly culpable for the impermissible endorsement arrangements and for providing false and misleading statements to investigators. Frank has been suspended without pay for six months for his involvement with the impermissible endorsement arrangements and for approving impermissible expenses incurred by Leonard and his family. The Clippers organization and personnel are also subject to a compliance and monitoring program overseen by the league office for a period of five years. In connection with his violations, Leonard is required to pay the league $700,000. No further punishments were announced for Leonard himself, but Mr. Robertson, also known as Kawhi’s “Uncle Dennis,” has been banned from conducting business or otherwise engaging with NBA teams and their affiliates on behalf of or with respect to any player, employee, or other league or team personnel for a period of five years. Media Day in the NBA is set to start on September 28th. The post 7 days after NBA punishment, why Kawhi Leonard has not been traded to Raptors appeared first on ClutchPoints.