Swanson: Clippers avoid a death penalty with Kawhi Leonard trade, but only if they clean house

Along with Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers should send the Toronto Raptors a fruit basket and a thank you card.

Because what was already a steal when the teams first agreed to the trade in June now looks like an absolute lifesaver. Paddles for the life raft so the Clippers can change directions and make better decisions — hopefully with better decision-makers.

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First, the Clippers had to move on from Leonard, who reportedly will go back to Toronto for a package that includes Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2027 first-round pick swap and two second-round selections.

It’s a defibrillator of a deal. One that could keep the Clippers afloat after the NBA hammered them for all the salary-cap-circumventing they apparently did for Leonard, an oft-injured, 35-year-old who flopped even before the NBA blew the whistle on millions of dollars in off-the-books, no-show endorsements.

Read more: Steve Ballmer apologizes to fans, says Clippers will comply with NBA sanctions

With the trade finally completed after the Raptors paused it on July 9 as they awaited the results of the NBA’s investigation, and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer announcing Sunday he will accept the league’s historically steep punishment without further protest, Clippers fans can finally exhale.

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Forget the fines and suspensions, most hurtful to fans is the league stripping the Clippers of five first-round draft picks, from 2029 through 2033.

A death sentence? Darn near would be, if not for the Raptors, those suckers — er, that one team whose fans still associate positive feelings with Kawhi.

Remember, Leonard won an NBA title with Toronto in 2019. That was the season before he seemingly started milking the Clippers, who also traded five first-round picks and future league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Paul George — to meet the demands of a guy who wouldn’t lead the Clippers to even one NBA Finals appearance.

At present, the Clippers will have Ingram, Darius Garland, Rui Hachimura and No. 5 pick Keaton Wagler on a Tyronn Lue-coached team. They’ll be a…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/swanson-clippers-avoid-death-penalty-234852014.html

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Publish date : 2026-09-14 23:48:00

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