Kawhi Leonard Accepts Below-Max Deal to Stay With Raptors
The short version
- Kawhi Leonard agreed to a two-year, $115 million extension with the Raptors, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
- The deal is roughly $11 million below the maximum, and Leonard waived a $7.45 million trade kicker.
- The move reportedly reflects flexibility around Toronto's rising salary books over the next three seasons.
- Leonard's below-max Clippers deal in January 2024 contributed to a salary cap investigation that led to punishment for Los Angeles.
Kawhi Leonard reportedly agreed to a two-year, $115 million extension with Toronto, taking roughly $11 million less than the maximum and waiving his trade kicker.
Kawhi Leonard has agreed to a two-year, $115 million contract extension with the Toronto Raptors, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The reported deal is approximately $11 million below the maximum salary Leonard could have commanded.
Leonard also waived a $7.45 million trade kicker, Charania reported. The decision came as the two sides discussed flexibility around Toronto's rising salary books across the next three NBA seasons.
The agreement follows the completion of the trade that sent Leonard from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Raptors. It keeps the two-time NBA Finals MVP in Toronto longer than his previous stint with the franchise.
Leonard previously took less than a max deal when he extended with the Clippers in January 2024. That contract helped trigger a salary cap circumvention investigation that dominated the summer news cycle and resulted in severe punishment for Los Angeles this offseason.
Written by the Matchday Live desk from reporting by Yahoo Sports.
Read the original report at Yahoo Sports ↗