Within it Predators primer season, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca continues to hear from people familiar with the matter that the shipping trade Kawhi Leonard in Toronto — and Brandon Ingram, Grady Dicktwo first-round picks, two second-rounders and one first-round trade to Los Angeles is “going to happen sooner rather than later.”
As Grange writes, Clippers the owner Steve Ballmer “undoubtedly” seethes on basic fines The NBA charged him and the team for circumventing the salary cap to pay Leonard through four different “no-show” endorsement deals. The fact that Leonard got off so lightly — he has to pay the league $700,000 — makes it all the more important.
Still, the Clippers are in dire need of draft capital after forfeiting five first-round picks as part of the penalty, and they’ll get a small chunk in the trade. Clippers GM Trent Reddenwho is expected to be the interim head of the basketball team with the president Lawrence Frank suspended for six months, was also the executive who negotiated the Leonard deal, Grange adds.
Obviously, it is not yet known when exactly the trade will take place. The delay is believed to be on the Clippers side as they decide what to do after the penalty. This is reported by Mark Stein of The Stein Line (via Twitter) that the NBA is willing to accept a trade deal whenever the two clubs agree to it.
Here’s more from the Atlantic:
- In a story for The New York Post subscribers onlyBrian Lewis takes a closer look at how and why Networks ended up taking Mikel Brown Jr with the sixth overall pick in June’s draft. A former Louisville standout whose mentors include Rajon Ronda and Donovan Mitchellis eager to learn from his veteran teammates, Lewis wrote, and people close to the 20-year-old guard call him “a sponge that soaks up information.” Brooklyn’s front office believes Brown can quickly become a team leader. “Honestly, it’s really important for us to understand what makes these guys attracted, where they’re from, why they have the habits (they do)“, the general director Sean Marks said. “Their parents have a lot to do with it. And it was a great pleasure to meet Mikel’s parents, to learn about his family background, where he comes from, how he grew up, to see how he takes care of his siblings and so on. The way he cared for his teammates, those things stood out, right? When you talk to the staff at Louisville and honestly everywhere he’s been, how he wanted to take care of his teammates and those stories that he likes to break bread with his teammates and take them out and spend time with them, that’s really important when we’re trying to build a team culture, trying to build a close-knit group. … It’s important to get guys there who really want to contribute.”
- Will Labron Filon the younger be able to hack Sixers‘ rotation as a rookie? PhillyVoice’s Adam Aaronson explores the topic, writing that the former Alabama guard seemed like a good bet to get minutes when he was selected 22nd overall, but that no longer seems likely after a busy offseason for the 76ers. Consistently shooting without the ball and resisting defensively, which was an issue last season for the Crimson Tide, will be the key to whether Filon can earn NBA time in 2026-27, Aaronson concludes.
- In case you missed it, the Celtics reportedly interested in the signing of the Guard Devin Carter after it clears the rejections. There was a former lottery pick cut out Atlanta on Friday amid a lack of rosters.
