The Toronto Raptors had a very eventful offseason, with their biggest move, trading for Kawhi Leonard, hanging in the balance almost all summer. The Los Angeles Clippers were accused of cap circumvention after journalist Pablo Torre launched an investigation, alleging that owner Steve Ballmer may have used outside revenue sources to pay Leonard and lure him to the Clippers.
The investigation put the trade, agreed to in principle by both teams, on hold until the NBA made a formal decision. Ultimately, the league fined the Clippers $30 million and stripped them of five first-round draft picks from 2029-2033. Steve Ballmer was also suspended from all team activities for a full year.
Leonard received a $700,000 fine, but was not prevented from being traded to the Raptors. He spoke about receiving the fine on Saturday, telling David Aldridge of The Athletic that he knew what kind of guy he was throughout the process and didn’t freak out.
If Leonard had been suspended, the NBA would have made an unprecedented decision that would have sent ripples throughout the league. Leonard has been one of the NBA's best players for years, and Toronto’s acquisition of their former franchise player signaled they are going after a championship and trying to compete in the Eastern Conference.
Now with the punishment in the rearview mirror, Leonard is focusing on winning another championship with the Raptors. Through two games, Toronto is 2-0, and Leonard is delivering on the steep price the Raptors paid, averaging 19.5 points per game. He scored 16 points in the Raptors' most recent win over the Washington Wizards, playing 28 minutes and shooting 7-for-20 from the field.
His first game back in Toronto was a huge event, and Raptors fans gave him a loud ovation. Toronto’s big three, Leonard, Scottie Barnes, and RJ Barrett, are showing why the Raptors tried so hard to acquire Leonard to complement their younger core.
In that win, Scottie Barnes led Toronto with 28 points on 12-for-26 shooting, plus 14 rebounds and two steals. He is averaging 25.5 points per game after scoring 23 in the Raptors' season opener against the Chicago Bulls. RJ Barrett also scored 23 points in Friday’s win over the Wizards. He is struggling from three-point range, shooting just 12.5% from beyond the arc.
Toronto plays the Minnesota Timberwolves at 7 p.m. Sunday in a game to stay undefeated early in the season.