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Kawhi Leonard Gives Raptors Exactly What They Need in New-Look East

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Earlier this week, the NBA wrapped up their investigation involving the Los Angeles Clippers and Kawhi Leonard circumventing the salary cap using fake endorsement deals.

This means that at some point this offseason, the Clippers will be able to finalize their reported trade from earlier this summer, sending Leonard back to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and draft picks.

Leonard rejoining the Raptors will make them a real force in a much-improved Eastern Conference.

Last season, the Raptors were one of the surprise teams in the NBA. They were a consistent basketball team all season and finished as the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. In the first round of the NBA Playoffs, the Raptors had the Cleveland Cavaliers on the ropes, forcing a Game 7 in which Jarrett Allen came up big and ended Toronto’s season.

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But the series showed that the Raptors belonged on the biggest stage with one of the better teams in the East. The Cavs were four wins away from the NBA Finals, and Toronto had them on the ropes in Round 1.

Adding Leonard into the mix will give the Raptors that championship-level mindset that could’ve made the difference against the Cavs. The 35-year-old might not be the same player that led the Raptors to an NBA championship in 2019, but he’s still one of the elite wings in the entire sport.

Ingram missed two of Toronto’s seven games in the postseason against the Cavaliers, and the Raptors were still on the precipice of taking down Cleveland. Ingram is undoubtedly a great player, but Leonard raises the ceiling to another level.

It was a big offseason for the Eastern Conference, and the Raptors should be thankful that this investigation is wrapped and their trade can become official. The Miami Heat, who were on the doorstep of the NBA Playoffs via the NBA Play-In Tournament, executed a blockbuster trade with the Milwaukee Bucks that earned them Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Philadelphia 76ers, who finished as the No. 7 seed, pulled off a huge trade for Jaylen Brown before convincing LeBron James to join in free agency.

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Antetokounmpo won a championship with the Bucks. Brown won a title with the Boston Celtics. And LeBron has four rings and is widely regarded as the greatest player of this generation.

That’s a lot of championship-level talent in this new-look East. Toronto adding Leonard gives them a seat at the table, while other contending teams like the Detroit Pistons and Cavaliers were big losers this offseason.

The New York Knicks won a championship in a season that nobody saw them coming. The rest of the league took that as an indication that the Eastern Conference was wide open. There’s plenty of talent in this new-look conference, but the Raptors adding Leonard should make them a serious contender to do at least what they did last year, if not go a little further.

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What are the allegations against Love Your Enemy actor Hong Min-gi? Complete drama explained as former partner alleges animal abuse and more

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South Korean actor Hong Min-gi has become the subject of serious allegations from a woman identified as “A,” who claims she was previously in a relationship with him. According to a report by Chosunbiz, the influencer, who reportedly has more than 20,000 followers, has shared details of her claims on social media on August 19, 2026. She has also shared parts of a legal notice that she says was sent to Hong Min-gi through her legal representative on July 28.

A accused the actor of dating violence, physical assault, threats, intimidation, emotional abuse and invasion of privacy. She alleged that Hong once threw a soju bottle on the street, causing it to break, and also threw other objects during arguments. She claimed he hit her shoulder, pushed her and grabbed her by the neck.

According to A, Hong became suspicious that she was talking to a former boyfriend after her phone was turned off. After that, he called her more than 40 times and later threatened both her and the former boyfriend. She claimed he said he intended to kill them if he found them and allegedly threatened to kill the former boyfriend.

She also alleged that Hong Min-gi secretly checked her phone and KakaoTalk conversations because he suspected she had been unfaithful. She further claimed that he rode an electric kickboard while intoxicated, with her accompanying him, and that the incident resulted in serious injuries. She also said she had photographs documenting those injuries.

The former partner described what she called a repeated pattern of verbal abuse, intimidation and emotional manipulation. She alleged that Hong Min-gi told her that his mental health problems had returned because of her, said he wanted to die and suggested that they should die together. She also claimed he insulted her and later behaved affectionately, which she initially interpreted as love.

A said she continued to feel responsible for his reported panic disorder after their breakup. She alleged that she visited his home several times and apologized. However, he responded by swearing and kicking objects for extended periods. She further accused him of trying to initiate s**ual contact after their relationship had already ended, claiming that he pushed her onto a bed and touched her without her consent.

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She also alleged that Hong Min-gi made derogatory comments about women, including statements about women becoming less desirable with age and also that women should serve in the military.

A additionally claimed he made disparaging comments about a former girlfriend who was now an actress. He also used profanity toward other actors, staff members, and directors he had worked with.

The accusations also extended to his relationship with fans. A also claimed Hong looked down on fans who spent money and time supporting him and allegedly complained about attending a fan-organized birthday event. A also accused him of verbally abusing and kicking his pet dog, Leo. She claimed that after she sent the legal notice, he cut off contact and left the dog alone at home for several days.

A said she initially did not understand the relationship as abusive and only recognized what she believed had happened several weeks after the breakup. She described experiencing fear, trembling, sweating and sleeplessness and said the effects interfered with her daily life. She eventually told her parents and said she began legal action because she wanted Hong Min-gi to acknowledge his alleged actions and apologize.

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Hong Min-gi’s agency denies dating violence allegations, accuses former partner of stalking and defamation

Hong Min-gi’s agency, Fable Company, initially said it was checking the circumstances and preparing its position. The agency later issued a response rejecting key parts of A’s account and presented a substantially different version of the relationship.

According to Fable Company, Hong Min-gi and A began dating around April 2026. The agency claimed that A continued communicating with a former boyfriend, which caused the actor to lose trust in the relationship. It said Hong Min-gi repeatedly made clear that he did not want to continue dating her.

The agency alleged that A continued making calls and approaching Hong Min-gi after the relationship ended. It claimed that she repeatedly went to his home and his family’s home and, at around 1 a.m. on one occasion, arrived at the actor’s residence and continued ringing the doorbell until 4 a.m. The agency described the incident as an unwanted approach and said Hong Min-gi had previously avoided public statements and legal action because he wanted the relationship to end peacefully.

Fable Company also denied allegations involving pet abuse and other claims made by A, saying that several of her assertions differed from the facts as understood by the actor and his representatives. The agency accused A of using the actor’s public image to pressure him and claimed she distributed statements it considered false or defamatory.

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The company said Hong Min-gi had been subjected to stalking and intended to pursue legal action. It stated that it would use objective evidence and legal procedures to establish the facts and consider civil and criminal measures, including action over alleged stalking and defamation. The agency also asked the public not to spread unverified claims or speculate about the matter.

The dispute has also drawn attention to the actor’s upcoming projects. The actor has reportedly completed filming for the second season of TVING’s Study Group, where he played Park Geon-yeop in the first season. The production team said it had only recently become aware of the allegations and would need to verify the circumstances because the issue concerns the actor’s personal life.

Hong Min-gi was born on March 12, 2002, and began his acting career in 2020. He gained wider attention through supporting roles and appearances in several Korean television and streaming productions. His credits include Love Your Enemy, Study Group, Crushology 101, Doctor on the Edge, and more.