Kawhi Leonard breaks silence as NBA ruling clears path to Toronto Raptors return

The path for Kawhi Leonard to return to the Toronto Raptors seems to have opened up.

On Wednesday, the NBA announced that they found the LA Clippers to have circumvented the salary cap after what was a year-long investigation. As a result, the Clippers have been stripped of five first-round draft picks, while owner Steve Ballmer has been fined $30 million.

Leonard's contract won't be void, nor will he face suspension. The ruling today finally allowed the 35-year-old to speak publicly on the matter.

"Integrity and respect for this game are fundamental to who I am," Leonard said in a statement. "I accept full responsibility for lapses in judgment by people within my inner circle and regret the distraction this situation has caused the fans and my family."

Leonard also claims he had zero idea that the Clippers had intended to circumvent the salary cap when he first signed the deal.

"I entered into my contract with the Clippers as well as the agreements in question in good faith, fully committed to fulfilling my obligations and with no knowledge of any intent on anyone's part to circumvent the salary cap.

"For 15 years, my priority has been giving everything to my family, the game, and those I share the court with. As I return to Toronto, I am focused on what I can control, closing this chapter, and moving forward with a clean slate."

Kawhi Leonard, through his new agent, Harrison Gaines, issues statement:

“Integrity and respect for this game are fundamental to who I am. I accept full responsibility for lapses in judgment by people within my inner circle and regret the distraction this situation has caused… https://t.co/cgWhrjcXuR

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 2, 2026

This announcement is also great news for Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick, who had been left waiting in limbo on whether or not the trade would go through. Now that the investigation has been wrapped up, they can officially join the Clippers in training camp.

This also means that Leonard will rejoin the Raptors after leaving the team in favour of the Clippers in free agency back in 2019. He's appeared in three All-Star Games since that time, and averaged north of 20 points in all six seasons he spent in LA.