Kawhi Leonard’s homecoming to the Toronto Raptors came to a screeching halt. The investigation into the 7x All-Star’s alleged involvement in helping the Clippers circumvent the salary cap remains open. It’s been over 10 months, and Commissioner Adam Silver has revealed the timeline for the investigation’s conclusion. In fact, he would also state why the trade was never made official.

“My timeline remains the same,” said Silver during the Summer League press conference. “And I think I most recently said in an interview that I’m hopeful that it will wrap up this summer, so that will continue to be the goal here. And I just want to clarify, you know, so everyone understands, the league did not pause the trade.

“The parties to the trade made the decision not to go forward, given that the investigation remained open, and any possible impact on Kawhi or his contract was yet to be known. And so they chose not to live with that uncertainty, but that was well known before the trade was proposed, and I don’t think there was any reason for people to believe that the status of Kawhi Leonard would change merely because he was traded. The investigation needs to run its course.”

The commissioner also dismissed the idea that trading Leonard would somehow eliminate the issues under investigation. Silver explained that every team involved in discussions was already aware of the ongoing probe and any potential implications it could have for Leonard’s future.

The commissioner also acknowledged that the process has taken longer than expected and revealed that the delays have stemmed from factors outside the league’s control.

This includes bankruptcy proceedings and reluctant witnesses. The league hired the law firm Wachtell Lipton to probe a no-show contract with Aspiration.

Reports from Pablo Torre revealed that the now-bankrupt environmental company allegedly paid Kawhi Leonard a $28 million endorsement deal. Clippers owner Ballmer also invested in the company but consistently denied wrongdoing.

In fact, he claimed he was the victim of the con that the Aspiration co-owner pulled. Ballmer reported that he lost his entire $60 million investment in Aspiration, “an investment that was intended to promote sustainability and benefit charitable causes.”

Silver acknowledged he could instruct the investigators to stop because the NBA hired them, but doing so would undermine the credibility of an independent investigation. The Commissioner expects the investigation to conclude before next season and stressed that it must be completed thoroughly and fairly before any public conclusions are reached.

The course of this investigation has naturally fueled speculation over what penalties, if any, could ultimately emerge. NBA insider Shams Charania discussed the matter while outlining what he called the least likely yet most severe possibility for Kawhi Leonard.

“The absolute worst case scenario that no one is expecting, but absolute worst is Kawhi Leonard’s contract being voided, or him being suspended for an extended period of time,” Charania said recently. “It all comes down to the evidence and what’s found in the investigation.”

Even though Charania emphasized that such an outcome is not expected, the possibility highlights why teams have approached Leonard’s situation cautiously.