Following his blockbuster trade to the Toronto Raptors, superstar forward Kawhi Leonard is reportedly closing in on a massive new deal. According to league sources, Leonard and the Raptors have held advanced discussions and are nearing an agreement on a lucrative two-year contract extension worth upwards of $126 million, which would tie him to the franchise through the 2028-29 season.
If the agreement follows standard league salary cap projections with an 8% increase structure, Leonard’s first-year salary would land around $61 million, while the final 2028-29 campaign could feature a player option valued at roughly $65 million.
A Resurgent Season and a Clean Break from Los Angeles
The 35-year-old star is currently set to make $50.3 million for the 2026-27 season as he enters the final year of his previous contract. Leonard is coming off a stellar regular campaign where he finished seventh in regular-season MVP voting, playing in 2025-26 while averaging 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. Impressively, he maintained elite efficiency, shooting 50.5% from the field and 38.7% from beyond the arc.
This impending financial commitment makes the cumulative $8.2 million hit Leonard took this summer—consisting of a $700,000 fine and waiving a $7.45 million trade bonus—look like a small price to pay to escape a tainted situation with the Los Angeles Clippers.
While several rival suitors, including the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves, reportedly pursued Leonard with promises of matching contract extensions following a trade, the seven-time All-Star deliberately leveraged his expiring deal to weed out destinations where he did not want to play. Ultimately, returning to the city where he captured a historic championship and Finals MVP award in 2019 made returning north of the border the most appealing option for the twilight of his career.
Denying Championship-Chasing Motives
Despite the narrative surrounding his move to a competitive Eastern Conference contender, Leonard firmly pushed back on the idea that he was merely chasing rings. In a recent feature for the Raptors’ Open Gym series, the veteran forward explained that personal and family roots played the deciding role in his decision:
“I’m not really championship-chasing, trying to find the best team I could win. I didn’t want to put on a thousand jerseys,” Leonard said.
“My son was born here. He’s been asking me forever when he’s going to come back. Now he’s back, and he’s able to see it rather than me telling him the great stories.”
With a massive extension on the horizon and family firmly settled back in familiar territory, it appears increasingly likely that Kawhi Leonard will finish out his legendary career right where he reached the pinnacle of basketball success. As the Raptors prepare for tip-off, all eyes will be on how the former champion helps guide this reloaded Toronto squad through an exciting new era.
