NBA 101

Raptors Acquire Kawhi Leonard From Clippers For Brandon Ingram, Two First Rounders, One Swap

The Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers are finalizing a trade of Kawhi Leonard for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first round picks, one pick swap and two second rounders.

Leonard led the Raptors to the 2019 NBA championship and then left the franchise to sign with the Clippers.

The Clippers had elected not to offer Leonard an extension this offseason, which led him to enter the trade market. Leonard signaled that the Raptors were the one team where he’d commit to a long-term extension.

Leonard is coming off one of his strongest individual campaigns, averaging 27.9 points across 65 regular-season games. He earned All-NBA second team honors and placed seventh in MVP voting. The Clippers, however, finished 42-40 and were eliminated in the play-in tournament.

Leonard will immediately become eligible to sign an extension worth up to $123.7 million over two seasons with Toronto.

The Raptors were able to retain RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley as part of the trade as their preference was to instead include Ingram. Ingram signed a three-year, $120 million extension in February 2025 shortly after his trade from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Raptors. Ingram has two seasons remaining on the contract.

After letting Paul George leave in free agency in 2024, the Clippers have now reset their roster by trading away James Harden, Ivica Zubac and now Leonard.

Precious Achiuwa, Kings Agree To Two-Year, $11.5M Deal

Precious Achiuwa has agreed to re-sign with the Sacramento Kings on a two-year, $11.5 million deal. Achiuwa is represented by Bernie Lee and will be playing in his age-27 season.

Achiuwa averaged 10.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 23.9 minutes across 73 games with the Kings last season after he was waived by the Miami Heat on the eve of the regular season.

The Kings are entering a rebuild with uncertain futures for Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.

Nets, Blazers, Nuggets Not Heavily Engaged With Celtics On Jaylen Brown Trade

The Boston Celtics may need to significantly lower their asking price for Jaylen Brown after several teams previously tied to the All-NBA wing have shown limited or no real engagement.

Boston has been seeking up to four first-round picks in addition to players for Brown.

The Portland Trail Blazers have been linked to Brown for some time, but their interest remains moderate at best and far below Boston’s asking price. The Blazers’ ability to match salary for Brown was also compromised by their trade on Monday for Ja Morant where they sent out Jerami Grant.

The Denver Nuggets have considered the possibility of acquiring Brown but have not spoken with the Celtics since the weekend. Denver’s interest has been significantly overstated, and the franchise lacks the draft capital to meet Boston’s demands, sources added, noting the Nuggets likely would not be motivated to part with that level of assets even if they had them.

The Brooklyn Nets, also previously connected to Brown, are not currently engaged with the Celtics and do not appear to be moving in that direction.

With outside interest falling short of Boston’s expectations, questions persist about the franchise’s path forward. Should the Celtics ultimately keep Brown, significant relationship repair may be required given how the situation has unfolded this offseason.

A reconciliation between Brown and the Celtics would likely prove difficult, but his eligibility for a two-year, $141.8 million contract extension in July could make that a possibility.

Jaylen Brown’s ‘Lukewarm’ Trade Market Could Push Celtics To Retain Him

The Boston Celtics are being met with a “lukewarm” trade market for Jaylen Brown as they engage with multiple teams following their initial talks for Giannis Antetokounmpo. If the Celtics are unable to find a team willing to meet their asking price, they could try to repair the relationship with Brown.

“We’re seeing kind of a lukewarm market for where Jaylen Brown is,” said Bobby Marks on NBA Today. “If I were betting man right now, I would say it is probably more likely that Jaylen Brown is back on the Celtics when we start training camp.”

“I’m also getting this feel that the teams out there feel like the Celtics might not be able to get what they want for Jaylen,” said Brian Windhorst. “And his value might be coming down. Whether or not it’s fair, or whatever. If the offers are not there, the Celtics may try to put the toothpaste back in the tube.”

“I’ve been told they’ve asked multiple teams for up to four first round picks and sometimes more than that,” said Shams Charania. I’ve gone team after team after team and I can’t find a team that is willing, at this moment, to give up that amount of draft capital.

“So then it just becomes are Brad Stevens and the front office fine trading Jaylen Brown for potentially less than that? I had one GM say ’40 cents on the dollar.’

“Because that’s what it has come down to in Boston. They just have not found teams, as of yet, to get to that threshold. But there’s still a lot of time left in this offseason.”

Brown is eligible for a two-year, $141.8 million contract extension in July.

Suns Acquire Miles Bridges From Hornets For Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale

The Phoenix Suns are acquiring Miles Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-around pick from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and 2033 first-round pick.

Bridges will fill a hole at the power forward position for the Suns. Phoenix also adds some closer-in draft capital, which they can use to select players or in future trades. The Suns also got further under the second apron in this deal, while opening a roster spot.

In 77 games last season, Bridges averaged 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 31.0 minutes.

Despite taking on a bit of money in this trade, the Hornets will still be roughly $50 million under the luxury tax. Charlotte also picks up a helpful rotation guard in Allen, as they rebuild their backcourt in the wake of the LaMelo Ball trade. In addition, the Suns are adding an unprotected first-round pick in 2033.

Bridges missed the entire 2022-23 season and part of the 2023-24 season because of suspension following a plea of no-contest for felony domestic abuse.

Bridges signed a three-year, $75 million contract with the Hornets in 2024 and is entering the final season of his contract.

Heat Targeting Mike Conley, Tim Hardaway Jr For Backcourt Depth

The Miami Heat are looking for depth after agreeing to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis from the Milwaukee Bucks. The Heat are particularly shorthanded in the backcourt. That has Miami expected to target veteran guards Mike Conley and Tim Hardaway Jr. when free agency opens on Tuesday, June 30.

Conley spent the last three-and-half seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, around a couple of different trades at last season’s trade deadline. Last season, the veteran point guard averaged 4.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 18.4 minutes per game.

Hardaway spent last season with the Denver Nuggets. He averaged 13.5 points per game off the Nuggets bench last season. Hardaway shot 40.7% on 6.9 three-point attempts per game as he finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting.

Raptors, Leonard Hold Trade Talks For Kawhi Leonard

The Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers held meaningful trade discussions over the weekend on a Kawhi Leonard trade. Leonard left the Raptors to sign with the Clippers during the 2019 offseason shortly after leading Toronto to the NBA championship.

Leonard is eligible for a contract extension and a trade has long been considered a probable outcome if he was unable to come to terms with the Clippers.

The Raptors have expressed a preference for including Brandon Ingram in their trade package for Leonard rather than RJ Barrett.

Ingram signed a three-year, $120 million extension in February 2025 shortly after his trade from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Raptors. Ingram has two seasons remaining on the contract.

Barrett is entering the final season of his four-year, $107 million contract extension signed originally with the New York Knicks during the 2022 offseason. Barrett will be earning approximately 18 percent of the cap in 2026-27 compared to 24.2 percent for Ingram. Ingram holds a player option for the 2027-28 season at $41.9 million.

Ron Harper Jr., Celtics Agree To Three-Year, $9M Deal

Ron Harper Jr. and the Boston Celtics have agreed to a three-year, $9 million deal. The Celtics are declining their $2.6 million team option.

Harper signed a training camp deal last offseason and made the Celtics’ roster on a two-way before converting to a standard NBA contract.

Harper averaged 4.2 points and 1.7 rebounds in 10.9 minutes across 29 games last season with the Celtics.

Harper spent the first two seasons of his career with the Toronto Raptors.

Wolves Discussed Josh Giddey Trade With Bulls

The Minnesota Timberwolves held trade talks with the Chicago Bulls for Josh Giddey in their attempts to improve the point guard position before moving forward with their deal for LaMelo Ball.

The Wolves wanted to alleviate the burden Anthony Edwards faces against opposing defenses by adding another playmaker.

Minnesota also discussed a Jaylen Brown trade with the Boston Celtics. The Celtics were seeking a trade package back from the Wolves that was similar to what they sent to the Charlotte Hornets plus Rudy Gobert. While Brown is considered a better player than Ball, his fit wasn’t as ideal.

Giddey averaged 17.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 9.1 assists in 32.1 minutes across 54 games last season for the Bulls.

Giddey signed a four-year, $100 million contract with the Bulls during the 2025 offseason as a restricted free agent and has three seasons remaining on the deal.

Bogdan Bogdanovic, Clippers Move Back $16M Guarantee Date To June 29

Bogdan Bogdanovic and the Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to move back the $16 million team option date to June 29. Bogdanovic signed a four-year, $68 million contract extension with the Atlanta Hawks in March 2023.

Bogdanovic appeared in 23 games with the Clippers and averaged 7.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 19.7 minutes. Bogdanovic shot 34.7 percent on three-pointers.

Bogdanovic has been linked to the Denver Nuggets should he become an unrestricted free agent.

Bogdanovic is represented by Jason Ranne.