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The Kawhi Leonard saga finally has some clarity. After the Los Angeles Clippers were hit with the harshest penalties in NBA history, losing five first-round picks for salary cap violations, the Kawhi-to-Toronto trade is still expected to go through. It's a wild situation, but the league has spoken and the clock is moving.
Speaking of rebuilding from the ground up, the Clippers now face a franchise-altering challenge. Stripped of draft capital and credibility, Los Angeles has a long road ahead, but front office minds around the league say there is a blueprint for recovery if management makes smart moves in free agency and player development over the next several years.
Shifting to the diamond, September baseball is here and the stakes could not be higher. The first power rankings of the stretch run reveal a league divided between teams cruising toward October and clubs clawing for their playoff lives. Shohei Ohtani's health adds another wrinkle to the mix, as the Dodgers monitor their superstar closely while Tarik Skubal takes the mound in what figures to be a pivotal series finale against St. Louis.
That's your play-by-play. Sports Desk, back to the booth.
