Los Angeles Clippers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kawhi Leonard Re-Signs With Clippers On Four-Year Deal

August 12th, 2021 at 4:51pm CST by Luke Adams

AUGUST 12: Leonard has officially signed a four-year, maximum-salary contract that includes a player option in the final year, according to Haynes. The Clippers have issued a press release announcing the deal.

As our maximum-salary chart shows, the four-year contract will be worth about $176.3MM, as follows:

2021/22: $39,344,900
2022/23: $42,492,492
2023/24: $45,640,084
2024/25: $48,787,676 (player option)

As noted below, because Leonard only had Early Bird rights, he couldn’t sign a five-year deal, so this is the longest and largest contract he could have received this offseason.

“Kawhi is a transcendent player and a relentless worker who improves himself every day,” Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said in a statement. “We share many of the same goals, which include a long-term relationship.

“This agreement marks another important moment for our franchise and our fans, as we strive to create a championship-caliber organization, where players find the success and fulfillment they seek. We’re eager to continue building with Kawhi. For now, we will do whatever we can to support him in his recovery from injury. We look forward to seeing him back where he wants to be, on the court with teammates.”

AUGUST 6: Free agent forward Kawhi Leonard won’t be making a surprise departure from Los Angeles this summer, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the two-time NBA Finals MVP has decided to re-sign with the Clippers.

While Leonard will be signing a new contract with Los Angeles, the exact terms of that deal are still being discussed, says Haynes.

Leonard turned down a $36MM player option on Sunday in order to reach free agency, since he’s now eligible for a slightly higher maximum salary ($39.34MM). It seems safe to assume his new contract will be worth the max, so the two sides are likely weighing how many years it’ll cover.

The Clippers hold the superstar’s Early Bird rights, allowing for a contract of up to four years and $176MM. If he were to sign a one-plus-one deal with a second-year player option, Kawhi could make $39MM+ this season, then opt out to sign another new contract in 2022, when he has full Bird rights and could get up to five years from the Clips. Based on the NBA’s latest salary cap projection, a five-year deal at that point would be worth over $241MM.

Leonard, 30, had another All-Star season for the Clippers in 2020/21, averaging 24.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and a career-high 5.2 APG on .512/.398/.885 shooting in 52 games (34.1 MPG). Despite missing 20 regular season games, he earned a spot on the All-NBA First Team.

However, after leading the Clippers to a first-round series win over Dallas and helping them pull to even in the second round vs. Utah, Leonard suffered a knee injury that ended his season and puts his availability for 2021/22 in doubt. He recently underwent surgery to repair a partial tear of his right ACL and has no set timetable for a return. The expectation is that he’ll miss most – or even all – of next season.

Leonard’s free agency, then, is reminiscent of when Kevin Durant hit the market shortly after tearing his Achilles in 2019 and received a four-year, maximum-salary commitment from the Nets. Brooklyn was confident that Durant would make a full recovery and the investment would pay off.

The Clippers appear to be of the same mindset with Leonard, as president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said last week that Kawhi’s ACL recovery will “require a great deal of time and we want to support him in that.”

Of course, while Durant chose a new team following his Achilles tear, there was never an expectation Kawhi would leave Los Angeles, despite one report suggesting he was open to hearing pitches from other teams. Leonard chose the Clippers over rival suitors during his last free agency in 2019 and remains committed to the franchise going forward.

And-Ones: Draft Picks, Hammon, Luxury Tax, Gortman, Spurs

August 12th, 2021 at 2:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Executives around the NBA don’t love the idea of having teams forfeit second-round picks as a result of tampering investigations, like the Bucks did a year ago, writes ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Insider link). As Givony explains, the thinking is that late second-rounders don’t have a ton of value to begin with, so taking away those picks hurts would-be draftees as much as it hurts teams.

“Why are we punishing players by reducing the number of picks that are made in the NBA draft?” one executive said to Givony. “Players work their entire careers to get to the point that they can hear their names called on draft night. It’s completely unfair to them to have fewer bestowed that honor because of backroom shenanigans that are entirely out of their control.”

Givony suggests some execs would like to see the NBA find a way to avoid having fewer than 60 picks in future drafts by redistributing any forfeited picks. For instance, a team that wins a midseason tournament could earn an extra second-round pick, or a forfeited pick could be awarded to the team that employs the winner of the league’s new Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion award.

“How cool would it have been if (inaugural winner) Carmelo Anthony went up to the podium at the 60th pick and announced that the Portland Trail Blazers have drafted someone?” one Eastern Conference executive said to Givony. “That would have been a great moment at Barclays Center, shedding light on the work he’s done, and tying it to the start of a young player’s NBA career, who could maybe follow in his footsteps.”

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Speaking to Doug Feinberg of The Associated Press, Spurs assistant Becky Hammon said she can’t wait for a time when it’s considered normal for NBA teams to interview and hire women for head coaching jobs. Hammon, one of the few women to receive head coaching consideration, added that she wants to be hired for the right reasons. “Please don’t hire me to check a box. That’s the worst thing you can do for me,” she said. “Hire me because of my skill sets and coaching, who am I as a person, hire me for those.”
Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link) provides a breakdown of the projected tax penalties for the eight teams currently above the tax line. While some clubs may shed salary over the course of the season to reduce those bills, the current numbers are staggering, especially for the Warriors ($184MM), Nets ($131MM), and Clippers ($125MM).
Five-star prospect Jazian Gortman, a guard based in South Carolina whom ESPN ranks fifth in the 2022 recruiting class, has signed with Overtime Elite, the league announced on Wednesday in a press release.
RealGM has the details on the draft picks involved in a pair of Spurs trades – with the Pacers (Doug McDermott) and Bulls (DeMar DeRozan) – this week. Most notably, the first-round pick Chicago is sending San Antonio will be top-10 protected in 2025 and top-eight protected in two subsequent years. That pick would be pushed back by a year if the Bulls’ 2023 first-rounder falls within in its top-four protection and isn’t conveyed until 2024.

Contract Details: Clippers, THT, Ball, Nwaba, Bembry, Raptors

August 10th, 2021 at 2:52pm CST by Luke Adams

After reporting over the weekend that the Clippers used about $3.9MM of their taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Justise Winslow, ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Instagram video) confirmed today that the team used the leftover portion of that MLE to sign second-round picks Jason Preston and Brandon Boston Jr. to three-year deals, with Preston getting a little more than the rookie minimum.

Keith Smith of Spotrac shares those salary figures down to the dollar, tweeting that Winslow’s first-year salary is $3,902,439 while Preston’s is $1,062,303. Combined with Boston’s rookie minimum of $925,258, those three salaries add up to exactly $5.89MM, the amount of the taxpayer mid-level exception.

Here are a few more details on new contracts from around the NBA:

While Talen Horton-Tucker‘s three-year deal with the Lakers was initially said to be worth $32MM, the year-by-year breakdown provided by Smith works out to a total of $30.78MM (Twitter link).
Lonzo Ball‘s four-year deal with the Bulls also came in slightly lower than expected, according to Smith, who says it has a base value of $80MM, with $1MM in annual unlikely incentives (Twitter link).
David Nwaba‘s three-year, $15MM contract with the Rockets has two fully guaranteed seasons followed by a third-year team option, according to Marks (Instagram video).
DeAndre’ Bembry‘s minimum-salary deal with the Nets has a partial guarantee of $750K for now, tweets Smith. That number will increase to $1.25MM on December 15 before becoming fully guaranteed in January.
Blake Murphy of The Athletic (Twitter links) shares some Raptors contract details, reporting that Gary Trent Jr.‘s deal has a base value of $51.84MM, with $250K in annual unlikely incentives. Murphy adds that Ishmail Wainright got a $250K guarantee in 2021/22 – plus a $125K guarantee in ’22/23 – on his minimum-salary contract, while Yuta Watanabe‘s minimum-salary deal is now partially guaranteed for $375K. Watanabe would get his full guarantee if he makes the regular season roster.

Clippers Sign Jason Preston To Multiyear Deal

August 9th, 2021 at 12:32pm CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers have signed second-round pick Jason Preston, the team announced today in a press release. While the team didn’t disclose the terms of the contract, Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link) hears from a source that the deal includes two guaranteed seasons with a team option on year three.

It sounds like it’ll be the same as – or very similar to – Brandon Boston Jr.‘s new deal with the Clippers, which was also confirmed today by the team. Both signings were completed using a leftover portion of the club’s taxpayer mid-level exception in order to add the third year.

The Clippers sent a future second-round pick and cash to Orlando on draft night in order to secure the No. 33 pick and select Preston. The 6’4″ guard (and former basketball blogger) played his college ball at Ohio, filling up the box score with 15.7 PPG, 7.3 APG, 7.3 RPG, and 1.5 SPG on .514/.390/.596 shooting in 20 games (34.6 MPG) as a junior in 2020/21.

Interestingly, the Clippers now project to have 16 players on fully guaranteed salaries once Kawhi Leonard, Reggie Jackson, and Nicolas Batum officially sign their new deals. Since 15 is the regular season limit, a player with a guaranteed contract will have to be traded or cut before the regular season begins. It also doesn’t look like there will be room for Yogi Ferrell, who is on a non-guaranteed deal.

Kings, Warriors, Clippers Eyeing Pascal Siakam

August 9th, 2021 at 9:04am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings, Warriors, and Clippers are among the teams believed to be especially “enamored” with forward Pascal Siakam, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.

A source with knowledge of the situation tells Anderson that Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri has received numerous trade inquiries on Siakam and is “listening like a good negotiator.” However, while a deal is possible, Anderson’s source doesn’t believe it’s likely, noting that Siakam has no desire to be moved.

Siakam’s name has popped up in trade rumors throughout the offeason. John Hollinger of The Athletic first suggested in June that the former All-Star was on Golden State’s radar, and multiple subsequent reports referenced a leaguewide belief that Siakam could be had, particularly in the wake of Toronto using the No. 4 pick to draft Scottie Barnes.

Sam Amick of The Athletic said last week that Sacramento “definitely” has interest in Siakam, and Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report stated that the Trail Blazers engaged in some preliminary discussions involving the veteran forward.

If the Kings were to make an offer for Siakam, it would likely include Buddy Hield, Marvin Bagley III, and at least one future first-round pick, per Anderson. While that would be a perfect salary match, it’s not clear if such a package would be enough to seriously entice Toronto, Anderson acknowledges.

Siakam is currently recovering from shoulder surgery and will likely miss a little time at the start of the 2021/22 season.

The Kings have also displayed interest in Sixers star Ben Simmons, Anderson confirms, adding that GM Monte McNair seems motivated to make a major roster move as the pressure to win begins to build. Outside Sacramento, there’s a sense that McNair and his front office – installed just a year ago – are already “feeling the heat” from Kings owner Vivek Ranadive to take a significant step forward, says Anderson.

Clippers Sign Brandon Boston Jr. To Multiyear Deal

August 8th, 2021 at 10:53pm CST by Luke Adams

AUGUST 9: Boston’s deal is now official, according to an announcement from the Clippers.

AUGUST 8: The Clippers are signing rookie wing Brandon Boston Jr. to a multiyear deal, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that Boston will get two guaranteed years with a third-year team option.

In his single college season at Kentucky, Boston averaged 11.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 1.6 APG on .355/.300/.785 shooting in 25 games (30.4 MPG) for the Wildcats. The 19-year-old is considered a raw prospect who is still adding bulk to his slender frame.

The Grizzlies technically selected Boston with the No. 51 pick on draft night, but by that point the selection had already been part of two trades agreed to before or during the draft. It was sent to the Pelicans as part of a bigger deal earlier in the week and then flipped to the Clippers for cash on draft night.

The Clippers’ willingness to buy their way back into the draft in order to nab Boston – and their willingness to give him two guaranteed years – signals how highly they regard him. According to Keith Smith of Spotrac (via Twitter), Boston’s $2.5MM in guaranteed money will be the most ever for a player drafted in the 50s who wasn’t stashed overseas before coming to the NBA.

Los Angeles will use a portion of its $5.9MM taxpayer mid-level exception to complete the signing. ESPN’s Bobby Marks reported on Instagram on Sunday that Justise Winslow got about $3.9MM of that exception, which leaves more than enough wiggle room to accommodate Boston’s first-year salary.

Southeast Notes: Bamba, Oubre, Gill, Wizards

August 7th, 2021 at 10:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mohamed Bamba won’t play for the Magic when Summer League starts on Sunday, but he’s practicing with his teammates in Las Vegas, writes Chris Hays of The Orlando Sentinel. The third-year center got a path to regular minutes for the first time in his career when Orlando unloaded its veteran centers last spring and turned the position over to Bamba and Wendell Carter Jr.

“For me it was no-brainer,” Bamba said of his decision to come to Las Vegas. “We got a new coach, new system, new guys and I just wanted to get well acclimated way before training camp.”

Jamahl Mosley, who has taken over as head coach, said this week that it was encouraging to see Bamba join the team on his own. Bamba said he’s looking forward to playing under Mosley.

“He’s made it clear that my presence (on the floor) is needed, is wanted and it’s just all about getting out there and putting in the right amount of work,” Bamba said. “Practicing with the team only helps the chemistry of the team. Coming out here … I had a choice, either to stay in Orlando and work with the coaches that didn’t come to Summer League or come here and add in these good deposits from the team.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Free agent forward Kelly Oubre received offers from eight other teams before deciding to sign with the Hornets, tweets Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Oubre’s agent, Torrel Harris of Unique Sports International Management, says the Knicks, Lakers, Clippers, Bucks, Nuggets, Nets, Trail Blazers and Cavaliers all presented offers to Oubre.
Today marked the guarantee date for Wizards power forward Anthony Gill, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic. Gill will make $1,517,981 in 2021/22, giving Washington 13 fully guaranteed contracts. That doesn’t include center Daniel Gafford, whose $1,782,621 won’t be guaranteed until the league-wide guarantee date of January 7.
Wizards Summer League players Cassius Winston, Issuf Sanon and Isaiah Todd have all been placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link). Their replacements include former NBA players Cheick Diallo and Derrick Walton Jr. (Twitter link)

Pacific Notes: Clippers, Paul, Ariza, Lakers, Howard

August 7th, 2021 at 12:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The two-year, $21.6MM commitment the Clippers made to Reggie Jackson, including a $10.38MM cap hit next season, will have major tax implications for the team, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. After accounting for new contracts for Jackson and Kawhi Leonard, who is expected to sign for the maximum, the Clippers’ tax bill is projected to be $95MM. Taking into account both salaries and tax penalties, the cost of the roster will be $265MM, says Marks.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

In a separate tweet, Marks provides the specific details on Chris Paul‘s new four-year, $120MM contract with the Suns, confirming a report that the deal includes $75MM in guaranteed money. It will start at $30MM before dipping in year two and increasing again in the third year, which is partially guaranteed for $15.8MM. The structure will allow Phoenix to stay out of the tax in 2021/22 and ensures the deal’s cap hit will be lowest in ’22/23, when potential new contracts for Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges go into effect.
Trevor Ariza, who has signed a one-year deal with the Lakers, said that Russell Westbrook recruited him, Mark Medina of USA Today tweets. Westbrook called Ariza approximately 20 minutes after Westbrook was traded to the Lakers, the veteran forward said. He also said his children urged him to sign with the Lakers.
The Lakers may be stockpiling aging veterans like Ariza, Carmelo Anthony, Wayne Ellington and Dwight Howard to help LeBron James and Anthony Davis win another title, but Howard said there won’t be a lack of energy or enthusiasm, Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes. “I think we have new life, all of us coming together and playing,” he said of the Lakers’ vets. “I think it’s going to provide new life being able to see who we have on our roster, who’s going to be playing alongside of us each and every day. I think we’ll have so much energy it will be hard to contain.”

Clippers Acquire No. 51 Pick Brandon Boston From Pelicans

August 7th, 2021 at 12:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

AUGUST 7: The trade is official, according to a press release from the Pelicans.

New Orleans announced that the second-round pick it received in the deal is the Kings’ 2022 second-rounder. However, that pick was top-54 protected when it was initially sent to the Clippers and is unlikely to convey, so the cash included in the deal is the primary return for the Pels.

JULY 29: The Clippers are adding a late-round selection by trading with the Pelicans for the No. 51 pick, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. L.A. is using the pick to draft Kentucky guard Brandon Boston Jr.

New Orleans will receive cash and a future second-round choice in return, according to Andrew Lopez of ESPN (Twitter link).

The pick originally belonged to the Grizzlies and was included a trade that was agreed to earlier this week, but can’t be finalized until after the moratorium ends. The Clippers also acquired the No. 33 pick tonight in a trade with the Magic.

Boston, 19, played just one season with the Wildcats, averaging 11.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in 25 games.

Clippers Sign Keon Johnson To Rookie Contract

August 6th, 2021 at 7:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers have officially signed first-round pick Keon Johnson to his rookie contract, the team announced today.

[RELATED: 2021 NBA Draft Pick Signings]

Johnson was the No. 21 pick in last Thursday’s draft and was technically selected by the Knicks on behalf of the Clippers. New York and Los Angeles agreed to a draft-night deal that saw the Clips give up a future second-round pick to move up from No. 25 to No. 21 to secure Johnson.

A 6’5″ wing, Johnson spent a single season at Tennessee, averaging 11.3 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 2.5 APG on .449/.271/.703 shooting in 27 games (25.5 MPG).

Back in April, when he declared for the draft, he was listed as the No. 6 prospect on ESPN’s big board and was viewed as a probable lottery pick. However, he remains very raw, especially on the offensive end, and slipped a little as teams in the middle of the first round opted for safer picks.

Unless he signs for less than 120% of his rookie scale amount, which is unlikely, Johnson will earn $2.55MM in 2021/22, as our breakdown of rookie scale salaries shows.