The sister of Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has been arrested. 39-year-old Candace Townsel and 35-year-old Kimesha Williams were arrested and charged with murder and robbery in connection with the death of an 84-year-old woman, according to CBS Los Angeles.
Williams is Leonard’s sister. Both alleged suspects are being held without bail at this time, according to the story.
Handcuffs (Photo by Pixabay.com)
The authorities were dispatched to an unconscious woman at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California. Once the police arrived, they found woman in the bathroom.
Afaf Anis Assad, the 84-year-old woman, was found and was the victim of an assault. She later died from her injuries, according to the story, on Sept. 4.
Assad’s son-in-law Wayne Brown told the TV station that he and his wife dropped off Assad and her husband at the casino. A short time later, she was beaten in the bathroom.
“She didn’t even get a chance to play,” Brown said. “I mean she had
some money in her wallet because she was ready to play that day, and I
don’t know if they targeted her because she just walked through the door
and they knew she had money in her wallet.”
“We give ourselves this this view that we live in a world that’s safe and civil, but in the end it’s like a wild world, you know.”
While these arrests have been made, the authorities are still seek information in this case. If you have any information, you can contact Investigator Gray of the Southwest Station at (951) 696-3000 or Investigator Dickey of the Central Homicide Unit at (951) 955-2777.
“We are absolutely saddened over this incident and are praying for the victim and her family.” Pechanga Resort Casino said in a statement. “The suspects were quickly identified through surveillance footage and the information was immediately provided to law enforcement.”
The Los Angeles Clippers have signed free agent forward Kawhi Leonard. He has signed a four-year deal with the team.
He took less than the max to sign with the team. He will receive $140.8 million.
Kawhi Leonard celebrates with the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy after his team defeated the Golden State Warriors (Getty Images)
Leonard now gets his own team, which is want he wanted. In addition, he gets to play in his backyard, as he is a Los Angeles native.
Plus, he also helped construct a championship team with the hand that he forced. He got the Clippers to acquire Paul George in a blockbuster deal, as well.
Leonard and George join a team that was the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoffs. They had a 48-34 record, only trailing the Golden State Warriors (57-25) in the Pacific Division.
Tobias Harris led the Clippers in scoring at 20.9 points per game before his trade. Once he was dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers, Lou Williams finished the season as the leading scorer with 20.0 points per game.
The two-time NBA Champion will be joining his third NBA team. Leonard spent one season with the Toronto Raptors after spending the first seven seasons of his career with the San Antonio Spurs.
This past season, he helped guide the Raptors to their first championship in franchise history. Toronto defeated the Golden State Warriors in six games to win the NBA Finals.
He appeared in 60 games, including 60 starts. Leonard averaged a career-best 26.6 points per game with 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.8 steals, and 0.4 blocks in 34 minutes per game.
Before joining the Raptors in a blockbuster trade, he made 407 appearances, including 380 starts. He averaged 16.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.8 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 30.4 minutes per game.
Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said that Kawhi Leonard “jammed his foot” late in the game on Friday. He said that the injury happened in the fourth quarter.
At this time, it is not clear how severe — if at all — this injury is. The Raptors do not seem like they’re concerned about it.
Kawhi Leonard dunks the ball on Cleveland Cavaliers’ Tristan Thompson (Getty Images)
Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said that Kawhi Leonard “jammed his foot” late in the game on Friday. He said that the injury happened in the fourth quarter.
After suffering the injury, Leonard was immediately asked out of the lineup. He may receive some rest with the Raptors having a scheduled back-to-back with the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday at the Staples Center and then on Monday against the Utah Jazz at the Vivint Smart Home Arena.
He could miss at least one or possible both of those games.
Leonard — who was acquired in a blockbuster deal with the San Antonio Spurs — is averaging 27.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game in six games.
“I think it’s going to be all right, nothing major. I just pushed off on it and kind of rolled it and I wanted to get it looked at,” Kawhi said via Doug Smith or the Toronto Star.
Leonard is expected to be re-evaluated on Saturday.
This is our fourth of the 30 offseason review and season previews for NBA teams. Click on my author page on the bottom of this article to read my discussion of the Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, and Chicago Bulls.
As for the Spurs, we’re in an interesting place because of the divided reaction to the Kawhi Leonard trade. As I stated in my trade recap, I’m extremely positive on this trade for the Spurs. If Kawhi works out for Toronto, the Spurs will get a first round pick while also adding a legitimate Top 15-20 player in DeMar DeRozan and a center with legitimate starter potential in Jakob Poeltl for Kawhi, an overpaid and declining Danny Green and some cash.
LaMarcus Aldridge attempts to make a shot against the Golden State Warriors (Getty Images)
The Raptors got a player with Top 5 upside, sure, but for a Spurs team that wants to remain relevant and competitive as they ride out the final years of the NBA’s greatest coach in Gregg Popovich, plugging in DeRozan into that lineup could really work. He could potentially coach this Spurs roster to real competitiveness and finals upside in the West.
A lot of these teams like San Antonio, OKC, or Utah are one serious Golden State injury away from being potentially the best team in the NBA. On paper, San Antonio remains a playoff team, and with Popovich, that’s all you need.
Many analysts criticized the Spurs for not accepting the offers from Boston or Philadelphia in terms of getting future assets. Sure, Dario Saric, Robert Covington and the 2021 Miami first rounder would be nice, but would that make them more competitive for Pop? No. Many reports have stated that Markelle Fultz wasn’t included in the Sixers negotiations, and Boston did not include Tatum or Brown.
This means that those teams were offering pick-heavy packages for Kawhi, and if Popovich feels that there’s still a window for this team to compete for a championship (again, one GSW injury away), then adding DeRozan in place of Kawhi’s empty roster spot is a fine move.
Remember, this team made the playoffs in the West last year without Kawhi Leonard at all. They’ve responded by adding in DeRozan, a player who received major all-star game minutes. I will also repeat what I said in my trade analysis: are we absolutely certain that Kawhi, almost two years removed from basketball due to injury, is a better player than DeRozan right now? The answer is still ‘probably,’ due to how amazing Leonard was in 2016-17, but I wouldn’t say it’s definite.
Here’s how they sit roster wise, with the players’ salary in millions:
PG- Derrick White (1.7); Patty Mills (12.4)
SG- Dejounte Murray (1.5); Manu Ginobli (2.5); Bryn Forbes (2.0)
SF- DeMar DeRozan (27.7); Marco Belinelli (6.2); Lonnie Walker (2.4)
C- Jakob Pöltl (2.9); Pau Gasol (16.0); Dāvis Bertāns (7.0)
The players’ salaries, along with the 2 million they owe Tim Duncan post-retirement will cost the Spurs about 119 million in payroll, meaning they’re well short of the luxury tax apron. If so desired, they could still use their Bi-Annual Exception, but it may be smarter to wait and use it next year because of the amount of returning players they have next season.
Unlike the many teams who have valued the ability to have flexibility in 2019’s offseason, the Spurs have constructed their roster around retaining long-tenured players and giving them multi-year contracts to ensure stability and culture instead of flexibility.
This is somewhat rare in today’s NBA, but the Spurs have always valued culture over almost everything else. 11 players of the 14 currently signed will be returning next season, with the Spurs facing unrestricted free agency on Manu Ginobli, Rudy Gay, and Dante Cunningham. In terms of additional bookkeeping, they have a myriad of draft stashes between the first and second round since 2015 and also could have their own first rounder plus Toronto’s if the Raptors are good, as well as another second rounder.
In terms of filling out their fifteenth roster spot, I’m assuming they’ll add another guard for the minimum.
The following players are additions from last year:
SG/SF-DeMar DeRozan (trade with TOR)
G/F- Marco Belinelli (free agent, signed from PHI)
F- Lonnie Walker (draft, 1st round)
F- Dante Cunningham (free agent, signed from BRK)
C- Jakob Pöltl (trade with TOR)
The following players are subtractions, on the roster last year and now elsewhere:
SF- Kawhi Leonard (trade with TOR)
PG- Tony Parker (free agency, signed with CHA)
G/F- Danny Green (trade with TOR)
F- Kyle Anderson (free agency, signed with MEM)
G/F- Brandon Paul (waived, free agency, unclaimed)
F/C- Joffrey Lauvergne (free agency, unsigned, now in Euro League)
Their offseason recap starts with the various player options which affected their roster. Danny Green opted into his $10 million player option, which allowed him to be included in the trade with Toronto that was discussed ad nauseam. Then, Joffrey Lauvergne, a stretch 5 option who has yet to really find his place in the NBA declined his $1.7 million player option to go play overseas in the Euro League.
Finally, Rudy Gay decided to test out the market by declining his $8.8 million player option after a solid resurgent year where he averaged almost 12 points and 5 rebounds on efficient shooting, finally realizing he’s more of a Power Forward in today’s NBA. His stretch to a larger position was met with solid defensive metrics (+1.0BPM on the defensive end with a career high Block Rate and an above-average PER).
Gay’s market value definitely increased last season. As a Small Forward, he may not shoot well enough, but as a defense first Power Forward with offensive efficiency and veteran knowledge, he’s a solid option.
They drafted as follows:
First Round, 18th overall, F-Lonnie Walker from Miami(FL)
Second Round, 49th overall, F/C-Chimezie Metu from U.S.C. (likely a draft and stash, as he’s from Nigeria).
The Spurs also made the right decision on two other players. They didn’t pay Tony Parker the 2 years, $10 million that Charlotte gave him to solidify their backup Point Guard spot, for good reason given their payroll concerns, and they also didn’t match the massive $37 million offer Kyle Anderson got over 4 years from Memphis. For a player without a position and limited offensive upside, it was good that the Spurs moved on.
It’s sad to see Tony Parker finish his career elsewhere, but I’m not convinced he can play 20 minutes a night on a Western Conference contender. His injuries have made him extremely vulnerable defensively.
Speaking of Rudy Gay, the Spurs, after waiting out the market for some time, did use Non-Bird rights to bring him back, giving him 125% of his previous year’s salary. Gay stands to now make $10.1 million on a one year deal, and should be a critical part of their rotation due to the aforementioned defensive capabilities. This is a nice move.
The real issues in the Spurs offseason didn’t actually come in the Leonard trade, which I will lay out below. Instead, they used Early Bird rights on both Davis Bertans (2 years, $14.5 million) and Bryn Forbes (2 years, $4 million) to overpay two players who may not crack the rotation. Bertans, in theory, should work, due to being a fairly competent defender who can stretch the floor with a 37% 3-point clip and play both the 4 and 5, but I’m not certain that he’ll warrant minutes over Gay, Aldridge, Gasol, and Poeltl, especially not for $7 million this year, and Bryn Forbes was dreadful in the minutes he did play last year, even if he can shoot a little bit.
I’m not sure that he has the upside of a Derrick White or Dejounte Murray, let alone deserve minutes over veterans like Mills, Ginobli, DeRozan, or Belinelli. Walker will attempt to crack the rotation due to some solid advanced metrics at Miami, but I’m not certain I see a specific skill which will make him worth a spot in the rotation this year. We’ll see.
The Spurs’ MLE was also misused. They overpaid Marco Belinelli, giving him 2 years for $12 million, when he’s a massive defensive liability, where his defensive lapses (a -2.1 defensive BPM and a below average PER despite a 59% true shooting percentage) and poor shot selection make him a tough player to use in the playoffs. They also used the remainder of the MLE to sign Dante Cunningham, who I’m not certain is even an NBA quality player at this point.
The Kawhi trade, as stated above, looked like this:
Spurs get: G/F-DeMar DeRozan, C-Jakob Pöltl, 2019 protected first rounder
I’ve spoken about it enough, and am willing to view this trade plenty positively in getting DeRozan, Pöltl, and possibly a first round pick. Leonard was a dead spot in the roster after not playing last year, and they replaced him with assets which could make them fairly competitive in the next few years. My criticism really comes in over the Bird Rights contracts they gave out, overpaying Belinelli and Bertāns, and signing Forbes and Cunningham to contracts above the minimum when they’re arguably not even worth roster spots. I get that the Spurs value culture and want to retain their own guys, but at what cost?
The trade that had long been talked about as defining the 2018 offseason happened this week, and it landed with less noise than one would have thought when the July moratorium ended.
Kawhi Leonard didn’t go to the Los Angeles Lakers to join LeBron James. He didn’t get traded to the rising Philadelphia Sixers or surging Boston Celtics. No, instead, it was the East’s other top team, rarely talked about due to consistent playoff failure, who landed him. The Toronto Raptors have taken the gamble necessary to try to get them to the next level. It came at a great present cost, which is exactly what the Spurs wanted.
DeMar DeRozan and Kawhi Leonard (Getty Images)
The San Antonio Spurs are a great story, a franchise without much sparkle or star-power which won a literal handful of championships over the last twenty years. They still have the league’s most famous and most accredited coach in Gregg Popovich. They still have potential future Hall of Farmer Manu Ginobili and All-NBA center LaMarcus Aldridge.
They also have a collection of young players trying to consistently improve. The Spurs valued present assets more than future, and that fact became clear with the deal they struck with Toronto.
Philly and Boston likely packaged picks and mildly useful players in offers for Kawhi. Philly likely offered defensive specialist Robert Covington and Euro Star Dario Saric along with various picks. Boston likely offered future picks and maybe a Marcus Morris or Terry Rozier. Absent from these negotiations were Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, or Markelle Fultz. Absent from these negotiations were Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, or Gordon Hayward.
The Spurs struck the deal that would give Popovich the most to work with at the present, which is why they came out on top. As we look back at the deal in the future, it’s possible that the Sixers and Celtics will be remiss that they did not land Kawhi, a forward who does have Top-5 potential. It’s also possible that more details come out which makes it clear that the Spurs needed more present value than those teams would’ve ever been willing to offer, and those teams made the right call in not mortgaging away their future for a player with such risk attached.
Here’s how the deal shakes out:
Raptors Receive: SF – Kawhi Leonard, SG – Danny Green
Spurs Receive: SG – DeMar DeRozan, C – Jakob Poeltl, 2019 Protected First Round Pick
Don’t let the pick fool you. It doesn’t have a ton of value for this reason: it’s top 20 protected in 2019, which means that if Kawhi plays and the Raptors are one of the East’s Top 2-3 teams, it will convey to the Spurs as a late first-round pick. If Kawhi refuses to play or gets re-injured and the Raptors miss the playoffs or end up as a 7-8 seed in the East, that top 20 protection would allow the Raptors to keep the first rounder, and the trade asset converts to two lowly second rounders, instead.
This actually works very well into the Raptors favor, they either keep their pick if the Kawhi risk doesn’t pay off, and if it does and he plays as a top player this year, they’ll be too good for their first-round pick to have much value anyway.
In addition, in trading Poeltl, the Raptors parted with a decent asset, but not their most important young prospect. Poeltl was the 9th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, heading into the third year of his four year rookie contract. He is a solid rim protector as evidenced by his decently high Block Rate at 1.2 per game in only 18.6 minutes per game, good for 6th in the entire NBA in Block% last year.
He also was top 10 in Defensive Box-Plus Minus (which measures per 100 possession efficiency at that end of the floor), and posted an above-average player efficiency rating. Offensively, he gobbles of offensive rebounds at a high rate and shoots a really high percentage in the mid-60s, meaning he takes what he can get offensively and converts it. His Point-Per-Game average of 6.9 is decent for a backup center.
He’s a really nice catch for the Spurs to slot into big man minutes to watch him potentially grow. In fact, considering the protections I mentioned on the pick, the Spurs future seems better aided by adding Poeltl than the pick itself. However, the Raptors won both aspects of these minor parts of the trade due to the pick protections and in only giving up Poeltl. While Poeltl is a nice player, and one I foresee growing into a legitimate 3rd big man or even decent starter, the Raptors didn’t have to part with any of their three most interesting young pieces: SF OG Anunoby, PF Pascal Siakam, and PG Fred Van Vleet.
If Kawhi doesn’t work out, it’s not as if they are leaving their franchise destitute. They are already set up for a successful rebuild with some of these young players, and it would be as simple as moving on from players like C Jonas Valanciunas and PF Serge Ibaka to begin compiling more future assets.
For the Raptors, they’ve maintained future options in a rebuild and potentially keeping their pick if this goes bad. If Kawhi works out, and he decides to play, they have a one-year period to convince him that Toronto is the place to be for the long term. If he decides to leave, we know that it’s time to blow this team up and start again, because this Raptors team as currently constituted has been unsuccessful in making long playoff runs to potential titles. Kawhi gives them the next-level upside that is needed.
The Spurs position here makes sense though. Kawhi had no interest in staying with this organization, and I would guarantee that this would’ve never gotten as ugly if Kawhi didn’t have a family member as his agent. Every discomfort and inner-team in-fighting became public, leading everyone to know Kawhi was trying to leave. It made him seem desperate, completely destroying any leverage he had with the organization. The talks about needing to go to Los Angeles led teams like Boston and Philly to promise less asset-heavy packages because they didn’t want to sell their futures for a rental player on a one-season remaining contract.
The Spurs wanted to remain competitive at the end of Pop’s career as a coach, and Kawhi essentially made it so that the Spurs would’ve had trouble compiling large packages for him because of the constant discomfort and talking about Los Angeles. Think about it from the Lakers perspective: why promise Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart in a trade for Kawhi if you think you can just add him in free agency next season with cap-space. They already have LeBron James locked up long-term.
So, the Spurs shopped around and ended up landing a legitimate Top 15 player for their former franchise star turned disgruntled diva. Kawhi was never going to come back and play for them anyway. If the Spurs wanted to improve in this coming season, adding DeRozan to a playoff team which succeeded without Kawhi last season is clearly an upgrade, and Poeltl should work in the Spurs system. It’s possible this deal could work out for both sides, but also possible that the Spurs end up on top.
Think of this way, is Kawhi, now almost 20 months removed from competitive basketball, yet to pass a physical, with recurring quad problems and risk of re-injury definitely a better player than DeMar DeRozan? I would be willing to accept an argument that says no.
Here are some DeRozan snippets from the last two seasons.
The scoring is great, and only went down this most recent season because he became a more dynamic play-maker. He performed more with the ball in his hands and managed to see over an assist per game leap out of an attempt to modernize his game. To start, he was a mid-range operator who styled his game in the late 90s/early 00s model of shooting guard, but the Raptors leap to the one seed this most recent season is partially because of DeRozan’s increased amenability to passing the ball and also a 4% uptick in his three-point percentage, which is not a fluke because he more than doubled the amount he took in the previous season.
His increased comfort shooting the ball may have decreased his scoring and efficiency on paper, but it made him a better player. This issue really comes down to lapses defensively, but I could also see his athleticism helping him become an above-average defender in the Spurs system, where he was a slightly below average defender as a Raptor. Getting two straight All-NBA nods, as well as two straight all-star appearances and finishing eighth in MVP voting is not a fluke.
Kawhi, meanwhile, missed all but nine games last season. His two seasons prior to that were extremely successful, here are the numbers
2015-2016, All-NBA 1st Team, 1st Team Defense, Defensive Player of the Year
For Kawhi, who finished second and third in MVP voting those two seasons, legitimately had two seasons as a Top Five Player, followed by an injury which has now largely kept him out for over a year. There’s no guarantee that he will be that player upon returning, and yet DeRozan is consistently a Top 15-20 player who makes improvements to his game every season. For the Spurs, who are trying to stay relevant in the Western Conference as an homage to Pop, couldn’t have done much better in terms of acquiring a player who wants to win now.
Perhaps what I’m trying to say, mainly, is that I’m worried that Kawhi became a little overvalued over the last couple months of teams trying to acquire him in trades. It’s as if everyone is assuming he will be 2016 Kawhi again, and the Raptors are taking a calculated risk in hoping that he is that guy. He will improve their team and make them more playoff palatable, and the Raptors didn’t sell the farm to get him.
No, instead, they parted with their current best player, who looks to slot into the Spurs lineup and continue to make the improvements necessary to fit in the Western Conference. If I’m the Spurs, and I think I have a shot at contention as long as Pop is my coach, adding DeRozan in replacement of the black hole that was the ghost of Kawhi last season, I’m happy with the deal.
This is a rare trade that I like for both teams. The Raptors win it if Kawhi looks like he did in 2016. The Spurs win it if DeRozan propels them to more legitimate playoff contention.
Kawhi Leonard has finally been traded. The disgruntled former San Antonio Spurs trade rumors have been going on for the past several weeks.
Leonard was dealt to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday morning. Danny Green also joins him in the deal.
DeMar DeRozan is seen here as a member of the Toronto Raptors (Getty Images)
In exchange for Leonard and Green, the Spurs are receiving DeMar DeRozan,
Jakob Pöltl, and a 2019 first-round draft pick.
The deal with the Spurs intensified in recent days. Toronto was the only destination left after the Los Angeles Lakers refused to include Brandon Ingram in a deal and the Philadelphia 76ers refused to include Markelle Fultz and
Dario Šarić in a package.
Neither Leonard, or DeRozan are reportedly happy with their new destination. Leonard is saying that he will refuse to play in Toronto, while DeRozan is not happy he’s dealt, as he saying there “ain’t no loyalty” after the deal.
“Can’t trust ’em,” DeRozan said. “Ain’t no loyalty in this game. Sell you out quick for a little bit of nothing…”
Toronto is definitely taking a gamble with Leonard. He has one-year left on his current deal and there are concerns with his quad.
The Raptors will reportedly take the same approach that the Oklahoma City Thunder took with Paul George last summer. After spending one season with the team, George decided to remain in OKC.
If Leonard is healthy, he should definitely be able to put up elite numbers.
Leonard, who his teammates questioned his intentions with his quad injury, as Tony Parker said his quad injury was a 100 times worse than Leonard’s. He also reportedly caused a fracture within the locker room.
The former NBA Finals MVP played in just nine games last season. He averaged 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. He spent seven seasons with the Spurs.
Green, who spent the past eight seasons with the Spurs after being his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, appeared in 70 games, including 60 starts. He averaged 8.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game last season.
He appeared in 520 games, including 464 starts. He averaged 9.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game in his career in San Antonio.
DeRozan, who spent his entire career with the Raptors before the deal, averaged 23.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.3 blocks in 80 starts last season. The 80 starts with Toronto last season were the most since the 2012-13 season when he started all 82 games.
In his Raptors career, he appeared in 675 games, including 663 starts. He averaged 19.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game.
Poeltl, who was the ninth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Raptors, appeared in a career-high 82 games last season. He averaged 6.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.5 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were swept in The Finals by the Golden State Warriors. LeBron James had very little help in the Finals.
Even a herculean effort was not enough to defeat the Warriors’ Superteam. In fact, against Golden State over the last two seasons, Cleveland is 1-9.
Kawhi Leonard (Getty Images)
Yet, despite an uncertain future regarding its star player in LeBron James, who will make a huge decision this summer after opting out of his current deal, the Cavaliers have inquired about Kawhi Leonard with the San Antonio Spurs. While Leonard has not officially informed the team that he would like to be traded, the belief is that Leonard wants to be traded.
The reports on Friday suggested that Leonard would like to play for his hometown teams, the Los Angeles Lakers — his preferred team — or the Los Angeles Clippers. However, according to reports, the Spurs will not trade Leonard to any Western Conference team — and would only move him to an Eastern Conference team.
The Spurs would like to mend their broken relationship with Leonard. However, he feels like San Antonio did not support him during his injuries this past season, where he played in just nine games.
According to Cleveland.com writer Terry Pluto, the Cavaliers have called the Spurs regarding Leonard. While Pluto says a call was made, it is not clear how serious the call was.
It could have been just an attempt to try to convince James to stay. Yet, like Leonard, he is expected to consider the Lakers, Houston Rockets, Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, and the Philadelphia 76ers this summer.
The Cavaliers may have a problem making a deal, as Kevin Love is the player, who would match Leonard’s salary the most. However, the Spurs already have that position filled with LaMarcus Aldridge.
At one time, he was also frustrated with the Spurs, and even wanted out. Yet, San Antonio and Aldridge worked things out, including signing him to a contract extension.
The Cavaliers will also have trouble to making any other package for Leonard, because they are over the cap for next season. Also, they do not have much to offer besides Love.
They have the No. 8 overall pick in this month’s NBA Draft. However, that alone, will not be enough to get Leonard to join the Cavaliers.
If they had any realistic shot to get Leonard, it would likely have to involve a third-team, who has cap space, such as the Atlanta Hawks. Leonard going to Cleveland is definitely going to be a long shot, like it will be a long shot for James to re-sign this summer.
The San Antonio Spurs finally have a word from Kawhi Leonard regarding his future. He no longer wants to represent the silver and black.
Leonard, who refused to play last season after playing less than 10 games for the team, wants to be traded. By doing so, Leonard will be forfeiting his potential opportunity at a supermax contract, five-years, $219 million.
Kawhi Leonard (Getty Images)
He will be losing $80 million. Instead, the most he could receive will be a four-year, $139 million deal.
Leonard, whose 26-years-old, averaged 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game in 23.3 minutes over nine games.
Tony Parker, who had a similar injury as Leonard, criticized the star player, as he said his injury was a 100 times worse than Leonard’s. Also, as Leonard went AWOL from his teammates, he was in New York.
He spent his seven seasons with the Spurs. He also helped guide the team to the NBA Championship, including being named The Finals MVP. He is also a two-time All-Star.
Leonard, who was born in Los Angeles, California, is being mentioned as a candidate to join the Lakers in the off-season. Yet, if the Spurs have their way, they’ll do everything in their power to trade him to the Eastern Conference so that he stays out of the Western Conference.
In his career, he has appeared in 407 games, including 380 games. He’s averaged 16.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.8 steals, and 0.7 blocks in his career through 30.4 minutes.
The San Antonio Spurs now know they will be without Kawhi Leonard for the rest of the season. He did not play in Game 1 against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, and will not play in another game this season.
Leonard did not travel with the team to the Bay Area for the first round of the playoffs. Yet, he has been medically cleared by the Spurs to play since Feb.
Kawhi Leonard is seen here (Getty Images)
While the Spurs say he’s healthy enough to return and play, Leonard, along with his own group, are saying he’s not ready to return. Thus, this has caused a divide between the two sides.
Leonard is reportedly still rehabbing his injury, according to Yahoo Sports’ Shams Charania. But Spurs legend Tony Parker said during the season that his injury — which is the same as Leonard — was a 100 times worse than Leonard’s.
With there being speculation that the Spurs would move on without their former NBA Finals MVP, the Los Angeles Clippers have already expressed interest in a trade. Plus, the Clippers will not be the only player interested in Leonard once he becomes available.
San Antonio Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich said Kawhi Leonard may not play again this season when he met with the media on Wednesday. Leonard has been limited to nine games this season.
Popovich said he would be ‘surprised’ if Leonard plays again, without fully declaring his star player down for the season. He called it “honest and logical,” while also calling his return unlikely.
Leonard has not played since January 13th against the Denver Nuggets. He played 28 minutes in that game.
Following the game with the Nuggets, the Spurs announced Leonard was being shut down indefinitely. The team said his injury was his quad that’s been bothering him all season.
Tony Parker has dealt with a similar injury also this season. His quad injury was considered worse than Leonard’s, yet he returned to the team this earlier season.
The Spurs have excelled without its star this season. They are tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for third place in the Western Conference.
In the team’s past 23 games since December 30th, they are just 10-13.
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