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But those close to the situation remain confident that the deal to bring Leonard to Toronto (and send Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick to Los Angeles) will go through sooner rather than later. Procedurally, the Clippers still need to appoint a team governor and top basketball executive to sign off on things, so that's considered to be the main reason the deal — first agreed to back on June 30 — remains in limbo.
The Los Angeles Clippers have no current plans to immediately flip Brandon Ingram and recover assets following the NBA's massive punishment. "I don't think that's anything being discussed at this moment right now," NBA insider Jake Fischer said on Bleacher Report. "Could they potentially do that somewhere this season or further down the line? Certainly. But I've been given no indication that the Clippers are actively looking to move Brandon Ingram at this period."
APHoops: The Clippers spoke with the Raptors last night and both sides intend to follow through with the Leonard trade, per @ShamsCharania . LA will receive: • Brandon Ingram • Gradey Dick • 2027 first-round pick swap • 2031 unprotected first-round pick • 2033 unprotected first-round pick • 2030 second-round pick • 2033 second-round pick
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The Clippers agreed on June 30 to trade Leonard to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and draft picks. But the deal is on hold after the Raptors learned they would be taking on the risk for any penalties that Leonard might face -- such as a possible suspension or his contract being voided -- as a result of the investigation. Leonard and his agent and business attorney, Harrison Gaines, have had conversations with the players union over the last few weeks, and there has been no indication that he will face a voided contract, according to a source with direct knowledge of the talks. Leonard and the Raptors are both operating as though the trade will be completed and reunite him with Toronto, according to team sources.
There is a belief in some corners of the league that the investigation is closer to completion than advertised and that — at some point over the next six weeks — there will be a resolution involving some level of sanctions from the NBA against the Clippers but, ultimately, clearance for LA and Toronto to complete the Leonard trade.
Seemingly, the only pathways to an expeditious resolution are if the investigation produces no evidence of wrongdoing — can you imagine if, after all this time, Wachtell comes back and says, “We got nothing?” — or if Steve Ballmer and the Clippers basically “plea bargain” to certain penalties and don’t go through the remaining steps of the process. So how does this get resolved? And can the Clippers and Raptors get their Leonard trade to the finish line before the season starts? It certainly seems at least possible that we have a limbo situation where Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick are still technically Raptors when training camp starts in October, and Leonard is still technically a Clipper.
Oh No He Didn't: Chris Haynes on the Kawhi trade:: “The Raptors, they were very comfortable in making this deal but they did not know that the league was going to put a halt on the trade. Both sides still feel like this thing will be resolved, a trade will occur. Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, they're all on the Clippers bench as if they're official Clipper members"
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AP Hoops: The expectation is that Brandon Ingram will remain with the LA Clippers once the Kawhi Leonard trade is finalized, per @JakeLFischer . Ingram being rerouted to a third team is not considered likely at this juncture.
Tim MacMahon: The league does not perceive him to be, the league in terms of the people who are making decisions on trade, that the league does not perceive him to be the sixth most valuable player in the league, because in part of his contract and then this is such a like hot button issue, but the advanced analytics are not favorable to Jaylen Brown. I had another GM basically say, "Look… Brian Windhorst: Here we go… Be careful what you're about to say. That's all I'm going to say. MacMahon: It's our job to explain things whether we're co-signing not co-signing, whatever, when there's something like this that confuses the hell out of basically the media, all the fans, all of our listeners. You saw this trade and let's be honest the initial reaction was ‘what the bleep?!’, and this other GM says ‘this is a classic case of the credit goes to the guy who scores but they're not driving team success. There's guys like this all over the league. The difference is he's not at 40 million and like a Brandon Ingram. He's at 60 million and then look, he's rounding up and and then he's going to be at 60 soon, right? And then it gets into it gets into the CBA and the cap rules and the apron.
Michael Grange: Given the histories of the primary players involved, it's not surprising that the last hurdle to get a deal done is each team signing off on the medicals of the incoming player, per league source. Gradey Dick? Shouldn't be a problem. Leonard's and Ingram's could take a minute.
Michael Grange: Not saying this is not going to happen, but per league sources, Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick plus picks for Kawhi Leonard is not yet completed. Some details still TBD.
