Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard Trade Suddenly Paused

The Los Angeles Clippers are in a holding pattern as the blockbuster move of star Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors has been halted, at least for now.

The issue is the ongoing investigation into alleged salary cap circumvention by the Clippers and Leonard, specifically involving the now-disgraced sustainability company Aspiration.

The scandal is still under investigation by the NBA, and on Thursday, the Clippers said in a statement that the Raptors — Leonard’s once and future home after a June 30 trade — and their ownership group assume “the risk of penalties related to Kawhi’s contract that could theoretically result from the ongoing investigation,” as reported by ESPN.

The Raptors will now wait for the investigation to be finished, though they said in a statement that they “remain eager to bring Kawhi back to Toronto and look forward to a swift resolution for our players, our organization, and our fans.”

When will the NBA’s investigation be done?

Despite a lengthy investigation and series of reports by the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Pablo Torre Finds Out” and the criminal prosecution of Aspiration co-founder Joe Sanberg, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison for wire fraud, the NBA seems to be moving at its own pace.

“We don’t have a specific timeline for the conclusion of the investigation but expect the firm to finalize its work in the coming weeks,” the league said in a statement to “Pablo Torre Finds Out.”

What does that timeline mean for the Kawhi Leonard trade?

It sounds like we’ll find out this summer if the Leonard trade will be finalized or if the Raptors will decline to go through with it and take on any fine or suspension that could accompany Leonard.

Granted, the Raptors already took a bit of a risk when they decided to bring back the 35-year-old Leonard in exchange for Gradey Dick, Brandon Ingram and multiple draft picks.

But the pause here indicates that there could be some serious sanctions headed toward the Clippers and possibly Leonard personally.

Do you think the Clippers or Kawhi Leonard will be punished by the NBA?

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