Celtics Have Reportedly Made Another Trade Offer For Kawhi Leonard
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Celtics have reportedly made another offer for Kawhi Leonard.
According to a new report by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst, Boston has sent another trade offer to the San Antonio Spurs for their disgruntled superstar. It's unclear what was offered, or if the offer is the same one Danny Ainge threw against the wall back at the February trade deadline. Maybe given Leonard's demands to leave San Antonio, Ainge just called to check in on things and revisit his old offer.
Whatever the case may be, the Celtics are not alone. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers have also reached out to the Spurs with trade proposals, per the report. The Spurs are reportedly only interested in sending the two-time Defensive Player of the Year and former Finals MVP to the Eastern Conference, though Leonard has made it known that he would prefer to land in Los Angeles. He's also strongly hinted that he wants to sign with the Lakers when he hits free agency next season, so he could be an expensive one-year rental for whomever wins the Kawhi sweepstakes.
The Lakers would love to bring Leonard in this summer, and are feeling some pressure to do so before July 1, according to ESPN. That's when players have to exercise their opt-out options, and if the Lakers can land Leonard before the deadline, they're hoping it convinces LeBron James to take his talents to La-La Land and potentially bring free agent Paul George with him.
The Celtics could likely trump any trade offer for Leonard, with their vast collection of future first-round draft picks and a current roster littered with young and promising talent. But if Leonard is set on going to Los Angeles next year, Ainge probably won't want to part with much, and would likely be unwilling to give up Jaylen Brown, who was one of Boston's most reliable players in just his second NBA season. It has long been expected that Brown would have to be the centerpiece of any Boston package for Leonard, along with next year's Sacramento pick.
The Leonard rumors are starting to really heat up, and expect the Celtics to be right in the middle of it all until San Antonio actually pulls the trigger.
