Sources: Clips nearing Kawhi deal with Raptors

The LA Clippers are nearing a deal to send Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, one pick swap and two second-rounders, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Tuesday. Sources said that Leonard views the trade as a chance to retire in Toronto, where he led the Raptors to the 2019 NBA title, winning Finals MVP after he averaged 28.5 points in their series win over the Golden State Warriors. LA and Toronto discussed a deal over the past couple of weeks, as Leonard's reps informed other teams he only wanted to sign an extension with the Raptors if the Clippers were not going to keep him, sources said. He had preferred to stay with the Clippers, but the franchise made no long-term commitment to him this offseason, sources said. Leonard has only the 2026-27 season left on his contract at $50.3 million. Leonard has been a three-time All-Star for the Clippers and is coming off a career year in which he averaged 27.9 points and played 65 regular-season games. It was just his second season with at least 60 games played since his 2018-19 season in Toronto. He finished seventh in MVP voting and was named to the All-NBA second team, his fourth All-NBA honor with LA. The Clippers, however, went 42-40 and lost in the play-in tournament to the Warriors. The trade would be a pivot for the Clippers and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, who said at his end-of-season news conference in April that he wanted to keep Leonard.