Clippers' Kawhi Leonard Trade Looks Much Better After Raptors' 5-7 Start to Season

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night for their third win of the season, but they are clearly not off to the start they were hoping for. Sitting at 3-8, the Clippers are unlikely to threaten for a playoff spot. This season will have to be more about the development of young players and setting themselves up for the future.

But there is still a big reason for Clippers fans to continue to pay attention to the standings. And it involves Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors.

The Pick Raptors Owe the Clippers Gets Higher With Every Missed Kawhi Leonard Game

The Clippers owe a first-round pick swap to the Oklahoma City Thunder. While this means that the Clippers don't have an incentive to tank, it doesn't mean that they won't have a first-round pick in the 2027 NBA Draft.

At the same time, the Raptors owe a 2027 first-round pick swap to the Clippers, which means that after the Clippers and the Thunder swap picks after OKC inevitably finishes above LA in the standings, the Clippers will get the Raptors pick. (assuming OKC finishes above Toronto as well)

After the first three and a half weeks of the season, that pick looks better than many thought it would be. In return, it has made the return on the Kawhi Leonard trade much better for the Clippers.

Kawhi has been out with a left knee injury since the second game of the season. The Raptors went 3-7 in his absence and now sit at 5-7 for the season. In the two games he played, Leonard wasn't particularly effective, hitting 32.4% of his field goal attempts. The Raptors then proceeded to sit him for the next few weeks to deal with the swelling in his left knee.

The latest update the Raptors provided was on November 10. They said that Leonard would miss at least one more week and would be re-evaluated then. So, there is a chance he could return to action this week, but Raptors insider Michael Grange said that the more realistic return date is November 27.

The Raptors will continue to struggle to win games without Kawhi. Even once he returns, it's not clear how effective he will be. Clippers fans are all too familiar with how long it can take for Leonard to ramp up and get going. Plus, one has to imagine that there will be minutes restrictions and sitting out back-to-backs.

At least it's safe to say that the Raptors aren't going to finish with one of the best records in the Eastern Conference. This gives the Clippers an opportunity to land a top-20 pick in the NBA Draft. At this point, the Clippers will take whatever they can get in terms of assets.

Another reason the Leonard trade is looking much better for the Clippers now is Gradey Dick's performance. Dick was seen as a throw-in in the trade to match salaries, but the fourth-year player has been a consistent contributor for the Clippers. He made the most of the injuries the Clippers are dealing with and has been gradually increasing his minutes off the bench. He is up to 53.3% from the field and 47.6% from three, averaging 7.8 points in 15.6 minutes per game.

If the Clippers have a decent role player in Dick going forward, it will be another win for them in the Kawhi Leonard trade. Their record may not show it, but things could be worse for the Clippers.

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