Atlantic Notes: Kawhi, Sixers, Russell

Like Paul George, Kawhi Leonard was traded to an unexpected suitor with one year left in his free agency, despite rumors that he wanted to end up in Los Angeles. George, who was sent from Indiana to Oklahoma City, was considered a lock to end up with the Lakers, but shocked NBA fans and experts alike by choosing to sign long-term with the Thunder.

A year after George opted not to go to Los Angeles, the Clippers are widely considered to be the favorite for Leonard, who was traded from the Spurs to the Raptors in 2018. Given their similar career paths, George has spoken to Leonard about his own experiences, he confirmed last week (Twitter link via Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca). However, PG13 declined to reveal what sort of advice he offered to Kawhi.

“That’s between us,” George said.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

  • While it remains to be seen if they’ll be able to lock him up long-term, the Raptors have to be pleased with how things have gone with Kawhi Leonard so far, says Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun. As Wolstat details, Leonard has seemed happy with how the team has handled his health concerns so far. “It’s big,” Kawhi said, when asked about working in tandem with the Raptors and their medical staff. “You have to be able to play for people that you trust and them being able to see what you feel and you just move from there and try to get better together.”
  • Will the Sixers re-sign both Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris this summer? Or will they bring back one or the other? Or neither? Sean Deveney of Sporting News examines the four possible outcomes, citing one source who says there’s “almost no chance” that Butler returns and Harris doesn’t. Harris staying and Butler leaving is considered the most likely scenario, according to Deveney.
  • Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report takes a deep dive into D’Angelo Russell‘s upcoming free agency, exploring whether the RFA-to-be point guard is worth the max to the Nets — or another team. Pincus expects Russell’s next deal to ultimately fall between Zach LaVine‘s (four years, $78.8MM) and Devin Booker‘s (five years, maximum salary) in terms of value. That’s a pretty big window, so it’ll be interesting to see how D-Lo’s free agency plays out.
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