Kawhi Leonard’s final chapter will be in Toronto, for $115 million

Kawhi Leonard will play out his final chapter in Toronto. The Toronto Raptors star has reached an agreement on a two-season extension worth $115 million, including a player option for the 2028-29 season. The news was reported by ESPN, which cited his agent, Harrison Gaines of Slash Sports.

The extension takes his total commitment to Toronto to three years and $165 million. The 35-year-old forward accepted $11 million less than the maximum he could have received on the extension. He also gave up a $7.45 million bonus connected to his trade from the Clippers. Those concessions give the Raptors greater room to manoeuvre amid rising payroll costs.

The signing comes after a turbulent summer surrounding the player. Toronto and the Clippers had agreed to his trade on June 30, but the transaction was temporarily held up by the NBA’s investigation into possible Los Angeles irregularities related to the salary cap. The league ultimately penalised the Clippers with the loss of five first-round picks, a $30 million fine and a one-year suspension for owner Steve Ballmer.

Leonard, for his part, paid $700,000 in restitution for improper benefits connected to his uncle and former representative, Dennis Robertson. He arrives in Toronto following the highest-scoring season of his career, averaging 27.9 points in 65 games with the Clippers.

Already an NBA champion in Toronto in 2019, when he delivered the Raptors’ first title and was named MVP of those Finals, Leonard intends to complete his career with the franchise. A seven-time All-Star, seven-time selection to the NBA’s best team and two-time champion, he has renewed his commitment to the team where he wants to bring his career full circle.