Kawhi Leonard Isn't Worried, But Raptors Fans Should Be

Toronto Raptors training camp begins next month, but the team is still trying to figure out if Kawhi Leonard will be part of the roster by then.

For the past several months, the league has hired a law firm to conduct an investigation in regards to Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers allegedly circumventing the salary cap. There have been numerous wrinkles to the story, some that favour the Raptors and others that don't. Despite the updates, Leonard believes he will be able to report to Raptors training camp in Quebec City.

NBA insider Jake Fischer is reporting that Leonard believes the investigation will be complete before the start of training camp, which would allow the trade to go through. His beliefs are based on his agent's communication with the firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, which has investigated the matter since September of last year.

Kawhi Leonard Has Confidence in End of Investigation

Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara drives to the basket against LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Leonard's hopes that the trade will go through should quell Raptors fans' fears, but it shouldn't eliminate them. While Leonard may feel confident about the trade taking place, that doesn't guarantee that it will happen. We have seen many times in legal situations where things go in a different direction than expected.

This could be another way of Leonard maintaining his innocence, especially after the podcast report from Pablo Torre revealed a second potential method of circumventing the salary cap by signing a contract with Daktronics, which is the video board company that funded the Clippers' new video board at the Intuit Dome.

In due process, the accused are innocent until proven guilty, so it's not fair to assume Leonard violated any rules until the investigation has concluded. That being said, there's a reason this investigation is still ongoing.

It should also be mentioned that the Raptors have a lot of skin in the game and need to make sure this trade goes through. They have spent their entire offseason rebuilding their team centered around this trade, and if it doesn't go through, they will have wasted their summer. They will return to the season with pretty much the same roster in an Eastern Conference where most of the teams improved.

They would also have to welcome back Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick, both of whom were sent to the Clippers in the proposed deal.

With so many conflicting reports that lead to several different conclusions, it's impossible to deduce what the true outcome will be. Therefore, Leonard's hopes of getting to Toronto with this trade are just hopes.

Leonard and the Raptors will keep an eye on the conclusion of the investigation in hopes that they can finalize their trade with the Clippers and move on from this messy offseason saga.

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