Report: Raptors Agree To Acquire Kawhi Leonard From Spurs
The Toronto Raptors have reached agreement in principle to acquire San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard in a trade that includes guard DeMar DeRozan, reports ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Spurs will also send veteran guard Danny Green to Toronto for center Jakob Poeltl and a protected 2019 first-round pick.
Green, 31, is in the last year of a four–year, $40 million deal, while the draft pick acquired is a protected 1–20 selection.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Clippers were other teams reportedly interested in swinging a deal for Leonard.
According to the report, DeRozan has been informed of the impending deal.
In being traded to Toronto, Leonard and the Raptors possibly up their chances of competing in the Eastern Conference, returning most of the roster that earned a top playoff seed last season if they can convince Leonard to play for the team.
ESPN.com's Chris Haynes reports that Leonard has no desire to play in Toronto, as his preferred destination would be to play in Los Angeles.
Leonard has one year and a player option left on his current deal and is set to make $20.1 million in 2018–19. He still qualifies for a five-year, $219 supermax contract.
Wednesday’s trade was weeks in the marking after reports surfaced that Leonard wanted out of San Antonio. The former Spurs star expressed concerns about how the franchise dealt with his nagging right quad injury, which caused the 26–year–old to miss all but nine games.
The Celtics made a trade offer to the Spurs for Leonard before this year's trade deadline, but San Antonio rejected the offer and Boston never made a counter proposal.
Leonard has been one of the best two–way players since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2011.
He has won the Defensive Player of the Year award twice, been named to the first-team All-NBA twice and took home the Finals MVP after the Spurs beat the Miami Heat in five games in 2014.
DeRozan has been a steady presence for the Toronto, leading the Raptors in scoring in each of the past five seasons, with playoff appearances in each campaign.
DeRozan, a four–time All-Star, averaged 23 points, 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds last season in helping lead the team to a franchise-record 59 wins.
But the team's playoff failures continued as they were swept by Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference semifinals for the second straight year.
