Multiple reports since February’s trade deadline have indicated that the Warriors talked to the Clippers earlier this season about a possible Kawhi Leonard deal. According to Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard, multiple league sources he spoke to this week suggested that Golden State actually came “reasonably close” to acquiring the star forward. The two sides had “generally agreed” on what a deal would look like before the Clippers decided to withdraw from those talks, Kawakami says.
Those same sources believe the Warriors will once again go big-game hunting this offseason, with Leonard among their targets, Kawakami writes. The two-time Finals MVP will be entering 2026/27 on an expiring $50.3MM contract, assuming it’s not voided as part of the NBA’s investigation into Leonard and the Clippers.
Kawakami also notes within the same story that he believes head coach Steve Kerr will be back on the sidelines for the Warriors next season, though he admits that’s just speculation and that he’s not sure Kerr himself has even made a decision at this point. Team owner Joe Lacob, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., and star guard Stephen Curry “absolutely want Kerr back,” per Kawakami.
We have more from around the Pacific:
- Checking in on where things stand with the NBA’s investigation into the Clippers and Leonard’s relationship with the now-bankrupt green banking company Aspiration, Baxter Holmes of ESPN says interviews are still ongoing and there’s no set timeline for the probe to wrap up. Holmes also digs further into Leonard’s promotional deal with Aspiration, examining the factors that investigators will consider as they weigh how unusual the agreement may have been.
- Responding to the latest round of speculation about LeBron James‘ future beyond 2025/26, agent Rich Paul said on the Game Over podcast that there’s “no truth to any of it” and insisted that even the Lakers forward himself isn’t sure what next season might hold. “I don’t know what’s happening. … He don’t know either,” Paul said (Twitter video link). “We don’t even talk about it… Just enjoy the moment. The man is playing minutes with his son. Meaningful minutes. … The Lakers are 12-1, they’re playing well, why are you talking about some stuff about next year? I get it, you have to talk about it. … (But) nobody knows. I don’t care what article is written. I don’t care what tweet is out there. Nobody knows anything.”
- Suns center Mark Williams, who has been sidelined since March 3 due to a left foot stress reaction, has been upgraded to questionable for Thursday’s game in Charlotte, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Williams missed the first of Phoenix’s two games against his former team in March, so it’s safe to assume he’ll try to do all he can to make it back for Thursday’s matchup with the Hornets, whom he hasn’t faced since they traded him to the Suns last June. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) expects the fourth-year big man to return tonight.
Just what the warriors need another guy who spends more time injured than playing. Stop trading for old players.
Don’t you get it? What assets do they have to get young impact players? That’s the problem when you have a team of expensive veterans and your trying to close the gap to win it all. They have little draft currency and they have very little impact players that are wanted. they have to go after guys like Kawhi and Butler and try to find quality guys late in the 1st round or in the 2nd. until Curry retires or they move on from Dray or Butler it is what it is.
Name the younger players who are both gettable and who are a fit with Steph?
Right now, its pretty much Zion, Ja and Trey Murphy III. That’s fine if you want to go after them, but they also aren’t healthy often. Mikal Bridges isn’t gettable.
Harrison Barnes, once again, a guy who has basically said he hates Kerr and will never play for him again, is one of the most consistently healthy guys who was a perfect fit who had one bad postseason and took too much of the fall for blowing the 3-1 lead, but was a guy GSW should have built around all along. He still remains a perfect fit in GSW system. Such a stupid timeline…
Look in the draft. The guy dominating for Michigan will be ready for NBA and the player that Kuminga should have been. Barnes was let go to bring in Durant. If they didn’t go after Durant Barnes would have resigned.
Barnes has said himself he was NEVER going to play for a Kerr team ever again. Sorry arc, its just facts. Barnes despises Kerr for throwing him under the bus for blowing the 3-1 lead, and rightfully so. Did you not forget how hard Warriors fans went in on Barnes after that? He was a punchline for the next 5 years, but not from me, I always wanted him on the Dubs and Kerr gone.
Also I was asking about established players they can go after, not the draft.
Multiple reports said that the Warriors were after Giannis. Dunleavy said that was false.
Many of these reporters are just making stuff up to have something to talk about
It’s called a draft pick. They need to use their first rounder and get a player instead of old injured ones.
I think we stumbled upon Leonard’s defense
At the proceedings they just start by playing Tom Jones “ It’s not unusual to be loved by anyone “
It’s light and airy, and who knows, if the meetings on a Friday perhaps a light sentence is given as everyone’s just in too good a mood to do otherwise
You’re speaking of Sheldon Leonard, yes?