Kawhi Leonard Trade is a Raptor again seven years after he left with the first championship in Toronto's history. The franchise re-claims Leonard on the biggest trade of the offseason on September 16, 2026, all of which will change the title picture in the East, and the roster LA built around Leonard will go down to history. Here's how it played out, what it means for both teams and what it does now mean for the remainder of the season.
The Raptors traded two unprotected first-round picks, two second-round picks, a pick swap from the first round and Gradey Dick to the Clippers for Kawhi Leonard. That's a steep cost — two rotation players, several premium future assets, no protection on the first-rounders — so the front office must deeply value the importance of bringing back a two-way, playoff-tested star to the fold, as compared to developing around younger players.
It's a sign that Toronto feels that its season to win is now and not three years in the future.
The timing is due to two team level weaknesses.
Defending against top teams. Last season, the Raptors finished fifth in defensive rating, but in the top-10 matchups were weak — the ones that determine playoff series. Leonard tackles that head-on. He amassed 122 steals and 27 blocks in 2025-26 with only 78 personal fouls, and had the most steals plus blocks per foul in the league with 378 players at 3.26. He's not fouling and he causes teams to lose possession, that's what a defence needs in a tight fourth quarter.
Closing out games. In the final six seconds of possessions last season, Toronto was dead last in the NBA in terms of offensive efficiency, a significant issue for a team that would like to avoid losing close playoff games. Leonard has one of the highest efg%s coming from the bench in isolation situations in the last three years at 53.0%, ranking ninth in the NBA among high-volume isolation scorers. It wasn't just a Toronto addition but the specific skill-set Toronto was lacking in the moments that matter most.
There's also the résumé of the games played in the postseason. The 28.6 points per game, on 63.2% true shooting, that Leonard averaged over 71 playoff games since 2017 would put him in rare company among the league's best big-game players. It's the record that makes this franchise a championship run of one.
The flip side to that is a complete overhaul. The Clippers have now made such drastic changes to their roster that only 42% of their 25-26 minutes from last season are present in this season — the lowest in the NBA! Instead of going back to the old guard with a new round of an aging core, LA is switching the page and is pushing Darius Garland and Keaton Wagler to the forefront in 2026-27.
The turnaround is a genuine strategic shift: less wins in the short-term but a younger and cheaper team plus a strong draft-pick bank compared to the one they gave up most of of. The time to see if it works is now years, rather than months, and whether it pays off will rely on how quickly they can become a foundation upon which a contender can be built.
He immediately alters the calculations in the Eastern Conference with a healthy, motivated Kawhi Leonard. The Toronto Raptors go from a solid playoff squad to a potential contender thanks to a top-tier two-way star who's won a title in this very city. The other candidates in the East must now take the Raptors team into account who can defend elite offenses and close games — which they could not do consistently before.
The Clippers' rebuild takes one stalwart competitor off the table at least this season, and may allow the teams vying for the top seeds to get a bit more breathing room out west.
This is a big move for markets, and it's as big a move as any of the Finals MVP that's making a move to a different conference mid-offseason. Some of the best things to look forward to this season:
The first committee to see movement with Raptors' futures is the championship and conference front. If a team improves its top two weaknesses in one trade, their odds for winning the title will tend to decrease, which is why it's best to value this as early as possible before the market re adjusts.
It's a subject that should be revisited after the new roster has gelled: A player like Leonard can make a win total swing by a few games depending on how healthy he is and how often he's used.
Clippers futures rise in the opposite direction: The squad will be an open rebuild around Garland and Wagler, and as such is not a team to root for in a deep playoff campaign this season, but the win total and lottery will come into play.
This is where it is important to remember Leonard's health history: Last year, he was sidelined for much of the season, so the line value for a Raptor could move quickly upon the start of the season, like in any other team, so watch the injury reports and not just the trade announcement.
When the futures markets move in alignment with this trade, is prepared for the Filipino bettor who needs to respond quickly to the trade and place their bets safely.
If you don't know what NBA lines are, or how they're moving, head to our NBA odds today and NBA betting tips and expert picks for more information before you wager on this situation.
Leonard was then sent back to the Toronto Raptors, where he helped lead them to a championship in 2019, on September 16, 2026.
The Clippers got Gradey Dick, Brandon Ingram, two unprotected first-round picks, a first-round pick swap and two 2nd round picks.
Last season, Toronto had the poorest offensive efficiency with the clock in the 4th quarter, and was the worst team in the league at stopping the top-10 offenses. Leonard not only tackles the two weaknesses head on but has a playoff resume to boot.
Yes. The Clippers lack the most roster continuity in the NBA with 11% due to the change in ownership, which left them with only 42% of their roster from the previous season.
It will likely make Toronto's destiny as a championship contender and its Eastern Conference future even more difficult to make, while the Clippers' futures odds will likely be improved for a team in a free agency market rebuild. It's worth reiterating both teams' season records as more lines are posted.
