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Related: About this forumKawhi Leonard & Paul George to the Clippers
Clippers' shocking moves for Kawhi Leonard, Paul George shake up the NBA
Just turns out, it was a player no one expected: Paul George. And with a team that supposedly was behind the Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors in the Leonard sweepstakes: the Los Angeles Clippers.
And now Leonard and George who both had expressed an interest in returning to Southern California where they grew up have teamed up to alter the balance of power in the NBA and make the Clippers a championship contender.
To get the commitment from Leonard, the Clippers acquired George from Oklahoma City for multiple first-round draft picks, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari.
The news it didnt break until 1:53 a.m. ET Saturday was a shocker in a wild free agency period that had players changing teams left and right as soon as free agency began on Sunday.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.usatoday.com/amp/1663575001
I guess he was like trade for Paul George and I'll come.
This means Danny Green is going to Lakers who were both waiting on Kawhi to make a decision.
Iggo
(47,577 posts)applegrove
(118,841 posts)Bradshaw3
(7,533 posts)They expected George to be there for two more years. Don't think we'll see any more small market teams like the Thunder or the Cavs or colder cliamte ones like the Raptors compete for titles in the years to come.
applegrove
(118,841 posts)So they'll still be fun to watch. We have not seen Siakam plateau. Vibes to okc.
JonLP24
(29,322 posts)One of the pieces based on rumors Toronto wasn't willing to part with was Soak in.
applegrove
(118,841 posts)Last edited Sat Jul 6, 2019, 09:15 PM - Edit history (1)
for a while. He started playing basketball at 16. So he still has room to grow and he has energy to spare on the court. I'm sure when he gets older and even better some american team will get him. They always do.
Toronto had no rights to kawhi leonard. Don't quite know how they would have been leveraged by okc.
JonLP24
(29,322 posts)OKC wanted Siakim & Fred Van Vleet and draft picks.
Woj reported that the Thunder, knowing the situation they found themselves in, had the Clippers and the Toronto Raptors bidding against one another to trade for George and, as such, get Leonards signature, as the reigning NBA Finals MVP believed George represented the co-star that he needed to combat the Los Angeles Lakers. Both teams knew the stakes, and as such, pushed their chips to the center of the table.
https://uproxx.com/dimemag/thunder-raptors-russell-westbrook-paul-george-trade-rumors-kawhi-leonard/
applegrove
(118,841 posts)tishaLA
(14,176 posts)Is that Lakers fans, in their typical unbearableness, were certain Mr Leonard would end up on their team.
The schadenfreude is almost as great as the Knicks missing out on Zion. And KD. And...
Iggo
(47,577 posts)Thanks for the shot, though.