TORONTO — The Raptors reportedly committed $115 million to Kawhi Leonard after team officials determined the Clippers had already completed the most exhaustive background check in professional sports history.
Leonard’s new agreement covers two additional seasons and includes a player option for 2028-29, giving Toronto both a familiar superstar and several years to pretend the last seven seasons were simply a very long road trip.
According to team sources, Toronto’s due-diligence process was expected to take several weeks until a group of visibly exhausted Clippers employees arrived carrying boxes of financial records, interview transcripts, travel logs, emails, business documents and several binders labeled simply “MISC.”
Raptors executives reportedly opened the first binder, looked at approximately 900 pages of completed work and immediately moved the meeting to contract terms.
“Normally we like to do our own background check,” one team official said. “But this felt pretty comprehensive.”
The Clippers staff offered to walk Toronto through the supporting appendices, timeline exhibits and supplemental materials before being told they could finally go home.
Leonard remained characteristically calm during the signing, pausing only to confirm that Toronto still remembered who he was.
The Raptors assured him they did.
They also confirmed that the championship photos are still up.
At press time, Toronto had completed the contract paperwork in less time than it took to wheel the Clippers’ investigation files into the room.
The Clippers reportedly consider this showing off.
