Kawhi Leonard Thanks Clippers Fans With Tribute Video After Trade to Raptors Ahead of NBA Season

Kawhi Leonard said his goodbye to fans of the Los Angeles Clippers after his trade to the Toronto Raptors became official.

"I truly appreciate your unwavering support during both the highs and lows," he wrote Friday on Instagram. "Thank you, Clip Nation. ✋🏾"

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Especially in light of recent events, a lot of Clippers fans might be happy the organization is finally turning the page from an era that started during the 2019 offseason.

Los Angeles made a solitary appearance in the Western Conference Finals and didn't get further than that after pairing Leonard and Paul George together. Injuries to one or both stars doomed the team's efforts to win a title.

Compounding matters, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander blossomed into a two-time MVP and NBA champion after the Clippers traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of the deal to land George.

Then came a full accounting of the efforts that led Leonard to signing with the team. Due to "a pattern of misconduct and multiple significant rules violations" in the words of the NBA, L.A. had to forfeit five first-round picks and pay a $30 million among other punishments.

Leonard's seven years in Southern California were a disappointment in terms of what the Clippers achieved, and now his legacy will be the penalties that complicate their transition to a different phase.

A brief goodbye message and a 13-second highlight reel feel like an appropriate way to make an exit given Kawhi's understated persona and what became a complicated divorce.

Now, the question is what kind of tribute the seven-time All-Star will get when the Raptors play the Clippers on Nov. 2 at Intuit Dome.