LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Clippers rocked the NBA late Friday night with news they had come to terms with free agent Kawhi Leonard and agreed to trade for Paul George, and hours later, several teams responded with moves of their own, some filling out rosters and others looking to potentially move other players.
No team was busier than the Clippers’ Staples Center co-tenants, the Lakers. Having missed out on Leonard, the Lakers used the cap space they had amassed to reportedly come to terms with five players Saturday. That’s on top of adding shooting guard Danny Green within minutes of the news of the Leonard move.
Biggest among the players the Lakers added Saturday is center DeMarcus Cousins, with whom the team agreed to a one-year, $2.3 million deal, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The other four players reportedly agreed to two-year deals: point guard Rajon Rondo, wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and center JaVale McGee — all of whom played with the Lakers last season — and free agent guard Quinn Cook, who spent the previous two seasons in Golden State.
Wojnarowski also reported Saturday that the Clippers agreed to a four-year, $28 million contract with restricted free agent center Ivica Zubac, whom the Clippers acquired with forward Michael Beasley from the Lakers in a draft-deadline trade in February in exchange for center Mike Muscala.
In Oklahoma City, the Thunder are reportedly in discussion with eight-time All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook about his future with the club in light of George’s departure to the Clippers. According to Wojnarowski, Westbrook and his agent, Thad Foucher, are in talks with Thunder general manager Sam Presti about the next steps, which could include a possible trade this summer.
Westbrook has four years and $170 million left on his contract, but with the team reportedly receiving five draft picks (plus Italian Danilo Gallinari and Canadian guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) in exchange for George, the Thunder could be looking to reshape their roster.
The Thunder also announced they have re-signed forward/center Nerlens Noel and signed undrafted guard Luguentz Dort out of Arizona State to a two-way contract.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported the San Antonio Spurs agreed to a two-year, $20 million deal with free agent forward Marcus Morris, with the second year a player option.
Wojnarowski reported the Spurs are close to trading forward Davis Bertans to the Washington Wizards, a move designed to allow the Spurs to complete the signing of free agent DeMarre Carroll. Bertans reportedly will be absorbed into an exception and the value of Carroll’s deal, agreed to earlier in the offseason, will go from two years and $13 million to three years and $21 million.
New Orleans Pelicans general manager David Griffin announced No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson will miss the rest of the NBA summer league schedule after suffering a bruised left knee against the New York Knicks in his debut on Friday night.
The Toronto Raptors extended their appreciation to Leonard and Green for helping lead them to their first NBA championship, releasing a statement thanking the players hours after it was announced that the pair are headed to Los Angeles teams.
The Raptors also agreed to a two-year, $7.5 million contract with free agent forward Stanley Johnson, Charania reported, with the second year a player option.
The Brooklyn Nets sent guard Allen Crabbe, 2019 first-round pick Nickeil Alexander-Walker and a conditional 2020 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for forward Taurean Prince and a 2021 second-round pick, completing a deal reported in June. The moved cleared cap space for the Nets to sign Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in free agency. The NBA on Saturday announced Irving’s signing as official.
The Orlando Magic officially re-signed both center Nikola Vucevic (a reported four-year, $100 million max deal) and shooting guard Terrence Ross (reported four years, $54 million). The club also added free agent forward Al-Farouq Aminu (three years, $29 million) and waived center Timofey Mozgov. The Magic are expected to re-sign guard Michael Carter-Williams.
The Memphis Grizzlies announced via release that the team will retire the No. 11 jersey of Mike Conley, on the same day the NBA approved the guard’s trade to the Utah Jazz. Conley, 31, spent his first 12 pro seasons with Memphis.
The Minnesota Timberwolves announced the completion of a draft-night trade in which they sent the draft rights to No. 11 overall pick Cameron Johnson and forward Dario Saric to Phoenix for the draft rights to No. 6 overall draft pick Jarrett Culver. — Reuters
