It has been a whirlwind of an offseason for the Toronto Raptors.
Back in June, the Toronto Raptors agreed to send a significant haul that included multiple players and multiple first-round picks to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Kawhi Leonard. With the NBA’s investigation coming to a close, a deal appears imminent. However, after everything that has happened in LA over the past few days, the Raptors have an opportunity to change their offer.
The attention has now shifted back to the trade agreement, now that the punishments have been handed out to LA, and Leonard himself. With the magnitude of assets that the Clippers had taken away, the Raptors may have a chance to revise the terms of the deal.
Toronto Could Have Leverage
The terms of the original deal were a massive commitment from the Raptors. Leonard is already 35 years old, and has a significant injury history.
The package that the Raptors initially agreed to send to the Clippers included Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and two future unprotected first-round picks.
However, the Clippers are now without five of their first-round picks following the conclusion of the NBA’s investigation. With their long-term outlook shaping up to be extremely uncertain, this leads the Raptors to ask if the original price they agreed to pay still makes sense today.
Both sides have reportedly continued moving forward with trade discussions. However, there is no official indication at this time that the Raptors have looked into revising the package they are sending off in exchange for Leonard. Toronto may be able to get a lower price for Leonard, but is it worth the risk?
Should the Raptors Actually Change the Deal?
From Toronto’s perspective, they now have leverage that they did not have on June 30th, when the deal was first agreed upon. The Raptors also have Leonard’s commitment to a reunion with Toronto. T
But is it worth it to try and complicate a deal that has already underwent months of uncertainty?
For a Raptors team that is going to try and maximize the rest of Leonard’s career, while also building around Scottie Barnes at the same time, every pick matters. The Clippers will almost certainly trade Leonard, but if the Raptors try and haggle too much, they put themselves at risk of getting outbid by another team.
The NBA’s investigation has not changed what Leonard is worth to Toronto. Many were preparing for a potential suspension of Leonard that would have tanked his trade value.
Leonard escaped unscathed, other than a fine of $700,000, but because of the magnitude of the Clippers punishment, the Raptors now have to decide if they want to try and capitalize on this newfound leverage, or if they want to just get a deal done and put this whole saga behind them.
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