Kawhi Leonard trade to Raptors reportedly will be completed after NBA punishes Clippers for breaking salary cap rules

The previously agreed-upon trade between the Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors involving Kawhi Leonard will go through, according to ESPN's Shams Charania .

Leonard returns to Toronto, where he won the 2019 NBA championship, in exchange for 2031 and 2033 unprotected first-round selections, and a 2027 first-round swap. The Clippers also receive second-round picks in 2030 and 2033, along with forward Brandon Ingram and guard Gradey Dick .

The Clippers will still get the two first-rounders from the Raptors despite the NBA stripping the team of five first-round selections (their own picks in 2031 and 2033, along with 2029, 2030 and 2032 picks).

Losing the draft picks was part of the league's penalty for its investigation of the Clippers for allegations that Leonard received impermissible benefits, including being paid $28 million for a "no-show job," as a way of circumventing the NBA salary cap.

Ingram, 29, averaged 21.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 38% on 3-pointers after being acquired from the New Orleans Pelicans . Shortly after joining Toronto, he signed a three-year, $120 million contract extension .

Dick, who turns 23 in November, is going into his fourth NBA season. He was the Raptors' 2023 first-round pick (No. 13 overall) out of Kansas. After averaging 14.4 points and shooting 35% on 3s in his second season, Dick's scoring dropped to 6.0 points per game and 30% shooting from long range last season.

"As I return to Toronto, I am focused on what I can control, closing this chapter, and moving forward with a clean slate," Leonard said in a statement released after the NBA handed down its punishment to the Clippers.

The seven-time All-Star is expected to sign a contract extension with the Raptors, which the Clippers were not interested in doing. He is in the final year of his contract, which is set to pay him $50 million . Last season, Leonard averaged a career-high 27.9 points in 65 games with 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals. He shot nearly 39% on 445 3-point attempts.

Clippers, Raptors originally agreed to Leonard trade in June

The trade of Leonard to the Raptors was originally agreed upon in late June , though wasn't expected to become official until July 6 when the NBA's moratorium on transactions ended.

However, the deal was put on hold amid the NBA's investigation into the Clippers allegedly evading the league's salary cap while signing Leonard to a three-year, $103 million free-agent contract in July 2019. Both the Clippers and Raptors agreed that the trade wouldn't be completed until the league's probe was completed.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated during a press conference during the Las Vegas Summer League that the decision to delay the trade was not made by the league , but by the Clippers and Raptors.

NBA issues harsh penalties for Clippers avoiding salary cap rules

In addition to the Clippers being stripped of five first-round picks, team owner Steve Ballmer was fined $30 million and is suspended "from all league and team activities for one year." President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank received a six-month suspension without pay. Receiving a one-year suspension without pay was president of business operations Gillian Zucker.

Leonard himself was also fined $700,000 by the league. And Leonard's uncle and business adviser, Dennis Robertson , was also banned from engaging in any future business dealings with the NBA.

On Sunday night, Ballmer released a statement saying he accepts the NBA's punishment and won't pursue a legal challenge, as he'd previously indicated.