NBA: Kawhi Leonard bids farewell to the Los Angeles Clippers and returns to where he won

Following the sensational news of LeBron James’ departure from the Los Angeles Lakers, confirmation has arrived of another major trade. This time, it involves Kawhi Leonard. The two-time NBA champion, born in 1991, will not be playing for the Los Angeles Clippers next year.

The Los Angeles Clippers have reached an agreement to trade All-NBA forward Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a swap of first-round picks in 2027, and two second-round picks, according to sources who spoke to ESPN on Tuesday.

The deal marks a return to Canada for the star who led the Raptors to the NBA title in 2019, winning the Finals MVP award after averaging 28.5 points per game in the series victory over the Golden State Warriors.

The two-time Finals MVP, who turned 35 last Monday, is thus leaving the Los Angeles Clippers after six seasons. The franchise’s goal is to rejuvenate the roster, so continuing to rely on Kawhi Leonard would have been impossible.