Talk around the league is picking up around Kawhi Leonard, and the Clippers and Raptors are still working through the kind of discussions that can turn into a deal if enough momentum keeps building. ESPN’s Shams Charania said Monday on SportsCenter that both sides appear motivated to get something done, and he suggested Leonard’s run with the Clippers could be drawing close to the finish. Chris Haynes added a similar note on NBA TV, saying it might be tough for Los Angeles to just keep going with Leonard if the talks collapse.
Toronto, for its part, is still interested in bringing Leonard back. The sticking point is the package on the table.
Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints reported that the Raptors have put Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and a first-round pick into the conversation, but league sources told him the Clippers consider that offer too light. Michael Grange of Sportsnet also reported that Toronto has no interest in including Collin Murray-Boyles or Ja’Kobe Walter in any deal.
If Leonard does move, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer reportedly wants the team to stay in the mix. Azarly said Celtics star Jaylen Brown is at the top of Los Angeles’ wish list, though there’s no obvious route to making that happen.
Brown’s name has also been making the rounds in Boston, where he reportedly has grown frustrated with how the Celtics have handled his situation this offseason. That comes after he helped push the Celtics to 56 wins while Jayson Tatum worked his way back from a torn Achilles.
Even so, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Bobby Marks and Charania all indicated Monday that Brown’s trade market hasn’t developed the way some around the league expected. Charania reported that Boston has been asking for four first-round picks, but no team has been willing to pay that price.
In Cleveland, the Cavaliers are still trying to keep Dean Wade from reaching the open market. Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reported that the Cavs and Wade are in ongoing contract talks as free agency approaches, and he noted that neither side has shut the door on a reunion. Keeping Wade has been one of Cleveland’s offseason priorities, though the salary-cap picture could make things tricky as the team tries to avoid crossing the second tax apron for a second straight year.
New Orleans is dealing with its own trade chatter around Trey Murphy III, but the Pelicans don’t seem eager to part with him. Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports reported that multiple teams have offered two first-round picks for Murphy, while the Pelicans are seeking at least three. So far, no team has been willing to go that high.
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Cavs Could Make The All In Move LeBron Would Notice
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For Cleveland, the idea is less about nostalgia than ambition, because any true swing would have to be big enough to change how the league views the roster right away. The Cavaliers have been linked in rumor chatter to a possible major deal with Boston, and even the existence of that kind of discussion tells you how aggressive this front office might be willing to get if it sees a path to moving the team into a different tier. [Read more 🡒]