Kawhi Leonard leaving Raptors to sign with LA Clippers
After months of speculation on his next destination, Kawhi Leonard has made the decision that Toronto Raptors fans feared the most.
He’s going home to Los Angeles, but not to play for the Lakers. He’s going to the Clippers, along with Paul George, who was acquired in a surprising trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Both Yahoo’s Chris Haynes and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news late Friday evening. Leonard, who had been deciding between returning to Toronto or signing with one of his hometown teams, has reportedly signed a four-year, $142 maximum contract with the Clippers.
Free agent forward Kawhi Leonard will sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 6, 2019
Free agent forward Kawhi Leonard has informed runners-up teams of his plans: He's signing with the Clippers, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2019
Sources: As expected, Kawhi Leonard: four-year, $142M maximum contract.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2019
Leonard will join forces with George, who he reportedly recruited from Oklahoma City. It was a move that nobody saw coming, as George requested a trade and the Thunder obliged.
The Clippers gave up a ransom to get George, as getting him meant that they would also secure Leonard. They gave up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, four unprotected first-round picks, one protected first-round pick, and two pick swaps in the deal.
It likely now makes Kawhi’s new team the favourites to win the NBA championship next season.
Kawhi Leonard has been recruiting Paul George to find a way to get to the Clippers and LA pulled it off tonight: George goes to the Clippers with Leonard, and together they walk into Staples Center to go head-to-head with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2019
After Leonard pushed George to find a way to get to the Clippers, Paul George approached the team and requested a trade, league sources tell ESPN. OKC was left with no choice and made the best out of a difficult situation, per sources.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2019
The Clippers are sending the Thunder four unprotected first-round picks, one protected first-round pick and two pick swaps, league sources tell ESPN. Those picks go to OKC with Gallinari and SGA.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2019
Sources: Leonard and George met in LA earlier in week. Clippers had long been frontrunners for Leonard, but it is unlikely he would've made final leap to sign without PG trade. Clippers imagined Leonard as part of a Lakers Big 3 — and knew they had no choice. They did OKC deal.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2019
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