NBA investigation blocks Leonard's return to Raptors
Plus: Miami stakes claim to Klay Thompson should Dallas agree to buyout.
TL;DR
- Kawhi Leonard's proposed return to Toronto cannot finalize until the NBA investigation into alleged improper Clippers payments concludes.
- The Heat have identified Klay Thompson as their top remaining offseason target but only if Dallas agrees to a buyout of his $17.5 million contract.
Trades and roster moves
Leonard's Raptors return held up by league inquiry
An NBA investigation into compensation structures is delaying the blockbuster trade that would reunite the All-Star with Toronto.
The NBA's continued investigation into alleged improper payments between Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers is blocking his trade back to the Toronto Raptors. The league is scrutinizing a $48 million Aspiration endorsement deal that sources say the Clippers and Leonard used to circumvent salary-cap rules. The Raptors agreed to acquire Leonard from the Clippers in late June, but the NBA informed Toronto it would assume the risk of any investigation fallout before the deal can close. No timeline exists for when the investigation concludes or whether the trade survives (via CBS Sports).
Heat pursue Thompson if buyout materializes. The Miami Heat have zeroed in on four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson as their top remaining offseason target, but only if the Dallas Mavericks agree to a buyout. Thompson is owed $17.5 million in the final year of his contract. A buyout would require him to forfeit roughly $7 million, after which Miami could use its midlevel exception to offer him a partial makeup contract, effectively bringing him to the Heat's preferred price point. As of now, Dallas shows no interest in negotiating a buyout, preferring instead to explore the trade market (via HoopsHype).