There is no way the Kawhi Leonard trade falls apart, right? Even amid the current hold-up, the Toronto Raptors will eventually get their guy and move forward with the boost that should offer their roster, right? Well, the organization and fans alike should hope so, because the alternative is terrifying.
Shams Charania stated on the Pat McAfee Show: "The deal gets paused and now Adam Silver made some comments that they're hoping to have some kind of a resolution this summer. My understanding is we're still weeks out from an update on a resolution."
That sure sounds like the Raptors will be stuck in this awkward holding pattern through the end of the month, with the resolution stretching to a possible arrival date of August. What happens to the Raptors if the penalties from the fallout do crush this trade?
Welcoming back Brandon Ingram would come with significant hurdles. It could even come with a knee-jerk reaction to rid themselves of the awkwardness. By August, things in the NBA offseason will be settling down. That could very legitimately leave Toronto without a real plan B for Leonard.
Raptors have no good way to pivot out of a failed Kawhi Leonard trade
In the defense of the Raptors, this is not their fault. There is no reason for Toronto to be facing the punishment for any alleged wrongdoings that actually hurt them when they happened. That would just be silly.
However, the Raptors took the risk of pushing for Leonard without the Los Angeles Clippers' situation having a clear end. That is where Toronto tripped themselves up.
Gambling on Leonard made sense to some degree. The former NBA champion wanted a reunion with the team where he won it all in 2019. Considering how well he fits the roster and what the Raptors need in the halfcourt, it was difficult to say no.
The alternatives could have involved adding a player like LaMelo Ball or Jaylen Brown. Both of them have found new homes. Beyond that, what is left? LeBron James is not coming to Toronto. No one else out there in free agency gives you enough to replace what was expected with Leonard.
A Trey Murphy trade would not truly move the needle either. There is just no real fallback option here.
While the situation is different in its exact circumstances, think back to the failed Chris Paul trade for the Los Angeles Lakers. When that deal was voided, the Lakers scrambled to do damage control. They failed miserably.
The Charlotte Hornets have released this statement on Mark Williams:
— Ashley Stroehlein (@ashstro) February 9, 2025
“We are excited to welcome Mark back to our Hornets organization. After the other team aggressively pursued Mark, we made the difficult decision to move him. We have always held great respect for Mark’s talent,…
Would Toronto need to awkwardly welcome back Ingram like the Charlotte Hornets did Mark Williams in 2024-25? If so, yikes.
There is no real winning here if the trade fails. Either Ingram stays in Toronto despite the awkwardness, with the Raptors eyeing the next real opportunity to move him, or they move him again immediately for pennies, given their lack of leverage.
All of this is to say, the Raptors better hope this ultimately works out in their favor. The reality in which it does not is absolutely ugly.
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