The Raptors’ push to bring Kawhi Leonard back to Toronto is still very much alive.
League sources told Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line that Toronto and the Clippers remain in serious talks on a trade, with “momentum” building toward a deal that would send the two-time Finals MVP back to the Raptors. Fischer was the first to report Toronto’s interest in a reunion, and since then multiple reports have confirmed the conversations between the teams.
Even with that chatter continuing, the Clippers are not casting a wide net at Jaylen Brown. Stein and Fischer report that Los Angeles has not pursued the Celtics wing this offseason and does not plan to make a run at the 2024 Finals MVP.
There’s also movement around a number of other names across the league. Washington has a “level of interest” in Russell Westbrook, who spent the 2020/21 season with the Wizards before being traded to the Lakers. Westbrook, 37, played for the Kings last season.
Sacramento, meanwhile, is trying to keep a pair of its own pieces in place. According to The Stein Line, the Kings are aiming to re-sign Precious Achiuwa and convert Daeqwon Plowden to a standard contract.
Sacramento made Plowden, who ended last season on a two-way deal, a restricted free agent on Monday. Achiuwa is an unrestricted free agent.
The Lakers are expected to be busy on Tuesday, with Stein and Fischer saying they are “strongly believed” to be one of three teams scheduled to meet with Jazz restricted free agent center Walker Kessler. Los Angeles is also expected to sit down with Pistons RFA Jalen Duren. Another restricted free agent, Nuggets forward Peyton Watson, remains linked to the Clippers.
The Spurs are shopping in the frontcourt too. The Stein Line reports San Antonio is looking to add a power forward using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, with Sandro Mamukelashvili, Tobias Harris, Dean Wade, Rui Hachimura and John Collins listed as targets.
Mamukelashvili is also on the Lakers’ radar, according to Stein and Fischer and Dan Woike of The Athletic. Sources told Stein and Fischer that the Georgian big man should draw multiple offers above $10 million per year after turning down his minimum-salary option to reach free agency.
Toronto has another decision to make beyond Leonard. Stein and Fischer report the Raptors are expected to work out a new standard deal with 2025 second-rounder Alijah Martin. Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca had already reported the two sides were working toward a multiyear standard contract after Martin received a two-way qualifying offer and became a restricted free agent.
Elsewhere, the Nets are now being described as a “real contender” to land Moritz Wagner after Stein and Fischer had previously reported the Magic were preparing to lose him in free agency. Orlando is also expected to bring back Jonathan Isaac after waiving him earlier this week.
Chicago’s offseason may get more expensive if Norman Powell lands there. Stein and Fischer report that any deal would likely be a lucrative short-term one.
The Bulls are also considering a move to keep Anfernee Simons, who is expected to draw interest from the Warriors and Celtics, while also showing interest in Jonathan Kuminga. Cleveland is another possible Kuminga destination, though the Cavaliers do not have much money to work with right now.
The Cavaliers already moved to re-sign Thomas Bryant, in part because they believed the Pacers were planning to chase him in free agency. Stein and Fischer also report that Indiana has its eye on Josh Okogie, Gary Trent Jr. and Kelly Oubre Jr. as possible free agent targets.
In Other News...
Raptors Suddenly Have A New Opening In Their Guard Search
The guard market around the league just shifted again, and Toronto has reason to keep watching. ESPNs Shams Charania reported a blockbuster deal involving Ja Morant, a reminder that even when the Raptors are not directly in the middle of a transaction, a major move elsewhere can change the tone of the entire search for help in the backcourt. For a team still sorting through its long-term guard picture, these are the kinds of developments that can reshape leverage, timing and the list of names worth monitoring.
Among the possibilities, Jrue Holiday remains the kind of veteran who fits the profile Toronto would have to weigh carefully if it decides to be aggressive. Any pursuit of that sort would almost certainly require matching salary, which is where the Raptors roster pieces come into focus, and Portland would have its own reasons to drive a hard bargain if the conversation got that far. For now, the opening is clear even if the exact path is not, and that is usually when the real trade chatter starts to get interesting. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Just Made A Tough Jonathan Mogbo Decision
The Raptors have taken a cautious step with Jonathan Mogbo, declining the team option on the forward-center for 2026/27 after a rookie year that hinted at real utility before his role shrank this past season. Mogbo, the 31st pick in the 2024 draft, flashed enough across his first year to keep him on the radar, even if his offensive limitations made it hard for him to carve out a bigger lane in Torontos rotation.
Where it gets more consequential is what comes next for his roster status. Toronto has not reportedly tendered him a qualifying offer, which leaves the clubs next move as the key piece of the picture for a player whose development arc has already gone from intriguing to uncertain in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Just Got A Worrying New Twist In Mamukelashvili Free Agency
Sandro Mamukelashvilis decision to decline his $2.8 million player option put Toronto in a familiar spot for a team trying to manage its frontcourt depth and roster flexibility. After joining the Raptors last season, the big man is now set to enter 2026 NBA free agency, and the early read around the league is that his market will be active.
The Spurs are among the teams showing interest, a notable development given Mamukelashvilis previous run in San Antonio before he arrived in Toronto. The Lakers are also in the mix, and with multiple clubs circling, the Raptors may be facing a tougher fight than expected to bring back a player whose next deal could be much richer than the option he passed on. [Read more 🡒]