How Kawhi Leonard Ended the LA Clippers Worst Era & Kickstarted a New One for the Toronto Raptors
September 15, 2026
AI Summary
5 min readThe Kawhi Leonard Trade Is Finally Done — Here’s What It Means for the Clippers and Raptors
The Kawhi Leonard trade saga, which dragged on for two months after first being reported at the end of June, has finally gone through. The deal sends Leonard back to Toronto in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Grady Dick, two unprotected first-round picks, one first-round pick swap, and two second-rounders heading to the Clippers. For a Clippers franchise that had five picks ripped away from them — including one that wasn't even theirs — getting any draft capital back is significant. For the Raptors, bringing Leonard back to a team that was already fifth in the Eastern Conference last season is being treated as a massive win.
How the Clippers Finally Ended Their Worst Era
The Clippers' Kawhi-Paul George experiment was supposed to be transformative. They got the superstar duo, built a new identity with "street lights over spotlights" branding, designed tattoo-script jerseys to distinguish themselves from the Lakers, and even built their own arena. What they got on the court never lived up to it. One conference finals appearance — and even that came without a healthy Kawhi. The two stars never won a title together.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (01:11) **Trade Confirmed: Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors** - The hosts break the news that the long-awaited trade between the Clippers and Raptors has officially gone through.
- 2 (02:36) **Who Won the Trade? A Debate Begins** - The co-hosts offer competing initial takes on which franchise comes out ahead.
- 3 (04:50) **The Wild Saga of Kawhi's Trade Value** - The conversation pivots to how remarkable it is that Kawhi still commanded significant value despite his injury history.
- 4 (06:45) **The Clippers' Failed Identity** - The hosts reflect on the grand ambitions and ultimate failure of the Kawhi-Paul George era in LA.
- 5 (09:06) **Why Scottie Barnes is the Biggest Winner** - The hosts agree that the Raptors' young star stands to benefit most from Kawhi's arrival.
- 6 (13:19) **The Reunion Game is Already Set** - The hosts get excited about the upcoming preseason and regular-season matchups between Kawhi and his former team.
- 7 (14:29) **How the Raptors Could Still Lose This Trade** - The hosts shift to a devil's advocate position, exploring the potential downside for Toronto.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Show Notes
Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit, Locked On Mavs) & Camille Davis (@CamilleMonae, Locked On Bucks) break down the blockbuster trade sending Kawhi Leonard back to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and multiple draft picks. The hosts debate who truly won the deal, weighing Kawhi Leonard's return against the Los Angeles Clippers finally recouping assets after years of setbacks. They dig into how Scottie Barnes stands to benefit most from playing alongside Kawhi Leonard on both ends of the floor. The conversation revisits the doomed Kawhi Leonard–Paul George era in Los Angeles and questions whether the Clippers could have played their cards differently. The hosts also examine potential lineup spacing issues for Toronto and react to Steve Ballmer's public statement amid the ongoing DOJ investigation into the Clippers organization.
0:00 Kawhi Leonard Trade to Toronto Raptors
13:13 Could the Trade Backfire for Toronto?
18:31 Clippers' DOJ Investigation Fallout...
23:16 Clippers Roster Vets & Trade Deadline
27:31 Igor Kokoschkov's Comments on Jason Kidd...
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