Kawhi Leonard trade now pending investigation

After seven seasons (playing six) in Los Angeles, Leonard is headed back to the franchise with whom he won an NBA title in 2019. The Clippers’ hesitation to give him a max extension of $126 million over two years opened the door for “The Klaw” to move, with the Raptors reportedly being willing to fork up that kind of money. Not only does Toronto add an immensely gifted offensive player who can score on all three levels, but Leonard is also one of the best wing defenders in the NBA. The issue has been his availability, with Kawhi appearing in at least 65 regular-season games just twice since leaving Toronto in 2019. When on the floor, he is an elite option for fantasy managers, regardless of league format.

As recently as last week, the Clippers reportedly had no desire to move on from Leonard. However, according to Monday’s report, the franchise’s failure to make a long-term commitment to the seven-time All-NBA selection has opened up the possibility of Leonard being traded. He’s entering the final season of his contract with a base salary of $50.3 million, and Leonard’s representatives have reportedly told other teams that Toronto is the only team he would consider signing an extension with. Leonard moving east would represent both the Raptors’ desire to join the Eastern Conference’s elite and the Clippers’ pivot to a rebuild that’s likely to feature lottery pick Keaton Wagler.

Nothing is going to happen with Leonard until the NBA concludes its investigation into whether or not the Clippers circumvented the salary cap to compensate the 34-year-old forward. For now, the Clippers are determined to keep Leonard and his preference is to remain with the team. The Raptors have genuine interest and Leonard would be open to signing an extension with the Raptors or the Spurs in the event of a trade, according to Fischer. On the other hand, Leonard wouldn’t be open to an extension if dealt to the Pistons or the Heat. The results of the investigation and Leonard’s future will continue to be a storyline to watch this offseason. Stay tuned.

Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up Thursday morning, Windhorst once again linked the Pistons’ recent cap-saving move of trading forward Isaiah Stewart to an eventual pursuit of big name targets, a list which includes Leonard. Windhorst noted that the Pistons have already missed out on Austin Reaves and Tyler Herro and could be looking at Leonard next. Just don’t expect a resolution soon with the NBA still investigating whether the Clippers circumvented the league’s salary cap to compensate Leonard. Once that investigation concludes, Windhorst said, Leonard will either get a contract extension or be traded and the Pistons have become a team to watch if he’s made available.

Coming off of what he described as the best season of his NBA career, Brown just missed out on first-team All-NBA honors. The Celtics’ star wing was a first-team selection on 44 of 100 ballots, with Detroit’s Cade Cunningham appearing on 60 and finishing with 414 total points to Brown’s 384. Leonard, Mitchell, Durant and Brunson round out the All-NBA second team.

In what was an amazing season for Leonard, it ended on a sour note. He played in 65 games and had one of the best offensive seasons of his career. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to bring some of that magic into the play-in tournament. His five turnovers were the most he has had in a game since February. Kawhi will turn 35 in June, which certainly means there will be rumors and questions floating around about the Clippers’ chances of building a contender around him. Regardless, Leonard is still one of the most talented players in basketball and will have a chance to be a fantasy superstar once again next season, no matter who he suits up for.

Leonard is off the injury report and should be back in the starting lineup vs. the Warriors. The two-time Finals MVP averaged a career-high 27.9 points per game this regular season. He’ll play a pivotal role for the Clippers as they look to avoid elimination.

With no Kawhi Leonard (ankle), Collins returned to the Clippers’ starting lineup after coming off the bench in three of the previous four games. He finished one rebound shy of a double-double against the Warriors, but Collins produced nothing else in his 21 minutes on the floor. Leonard will be available for Wednesday’s rematch with the Warriors, which would relegate Collins to the backup center role he’s been asked to assume since Isaiah Jackson went down.

The Clippers will need the Kings to beat the Trail Blazers to have a chance a the No. 8 seed in the West, so they’ll prioritize extra rest for Leonard. John Collins should take on extra minutes with Leonard sidelined. This puts them on track to play the Warriors again on Wednesday in a win-or-go-home matchup.

Leonard is on the injury report with a left ankle sprain, initially sustained in late March. The Clippers will need help to secure the No. 8 seed in the West after Friday’s loss to the Trail Blazers. If Leonard can’t play on Sunday, John Collins’ playing time is likely to increase after logging 18 minutes in Portland.