The Anthony Davis trade could be delayed if Kawhi Leonard doesn’t choose a team by noon ET on Saturday, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk and Bobby Marks report.
The complex, four-way series of deals involving the Lakers, Pelicans, Hawks and Wizards can become official Saturday. The Lakers would lose their ability to give Leonard a max contract if any of the other teams involved decline to delay the trade. However, those teams are expected to cooperate, according to Marks.
The Lakers and Pelicans agreed on the initial trade in which Los Angeles sent Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first-round picks to New Orleans for Davis. Los Angeles opened up a $32MM salary slot by agreeing to ship Moritz Wagner, Isaac Bonga, Jemerrio Jones and a 2022 second-round pick to Washington, which sent cash to New Orleans. Davis also agreed to waive his $4MM trade kicker.
New Orleans and Atlanta made a big draft-night swap as an offshoot of the Davis trade. New Orleans agreed to move the No. 4 overall pick, forward De’Andre Hunter, they received from the Lakers as well as a late second-rounder along with Solomon Hill‘s contract to the Hawks for two first-rounders, center Jaxson Hayes and guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, an early second-round pick and a first-rounder next year.
Without the delay, the Lakers could only offer Leonard a four-year, $127MM contract — $11MM less than the max over the life of the deal.
Leonard’s indecision also may cause some other delays.
The Pelicans won’t be able to sign free agent guard J.J. Redick until the Hill trade is finished. Hill is ticketed to the Grizzlies in another trade once the Davis deal is completed. The rookies involved in those proposed transactions, as well as the three young players headed to the Wizards, aren’t allowed to play summer league ball until everything is finalized.
Lakers need to get their act together so the wizards can get their players
Doesnt matter its already being reported that it will be extended if need be.
Why do you make it sound like it’s the Lakers fault? Not their fault Kawhi is taking his time on a decision. They can’t make him decide any faster.
Sure they can! Have the team tell him they will shoot his dog if he doesn’t make a decision by Saturday noon. Boom! Kawhi resigns with Toronto, problem solved!
You are one sick piece of work. Somewhere there is a straight jacket with your name on it.
So in the end it’s about summer league participation.
Good, Kawhi doesn’t owe anyone anything.
No, he doesn’t. But what about all the people waiting on Kawhi, including players? What do they owe Kawhi? Let’s not pretend like some of these players waiting for Kawhi to make a decision aren’t waiting to make their own huge life decision. No, he doesn’t owe them anything, but it would be common courtesy for him to hurry up and make a decision so the rest of these players can not only pick a team to sign with, but pick a place to move their families to and settle down for the foreseeable future.
Its his choice and most likely his last big contract of his career if he is truly going max dollars. Maybe he is going to sign with the clippers and doing this to cause issues for the lakers and hurt their playoff chances.
In the end, I think it is more how the league handles trades (especially draft night) and the rules surrounding the salary cap. That is what is holding up the players involved. The trade dollars should be independent of the deal and if you want to say the trading of certain players is contingent of him signing or not is completely different.
Yeah it’s his choice, and he is being a douche about it.
If i’m the other 3 teams why should they help the Lakers by agreeing to a delay if they don’t have anything to gain by doing it?
Also, why would they want to help them build another super team if they can stop it.
i agree. Super teams takes out the competition and personally for me since the “decision” years ago with the heat the fun in keeping up with teams. I have barely watched basketball.
Superteams take out the competition? So did the Miami Heat win for consecutive titles? No they won two out of four years. Did the Golden State Warriors win five titles in a row? No they did not they won three out of five. Just because you have a super team does not mean you’re guaranteed a title. Just like in 2004 when the Los Angeles Lakers had all on the same team Gary Payton, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille Oneal, Dennis Rodman and Karl “Mailman“ Malone. They got to the finals only do you lose to Detroit
Dennis Rodman was not on that team lol
Lakers will have to sweeten the deal for the other 7 teams involved. No ones going to help them for FREE!
lol they all have other deals contingent on this deal being finalized they will wait for however long it takes.
And no team or free agent will ever deal with the lakers…. oh wait. LOL! Now give us our shit and go cry in the corner!
And no team or free agent will ever deal with the lakers…. oh wait. LOL! Now give us our stuff and go cry in the corner!