NBA News August 18: Kawhi chaos, DeRozan and Cavs’ trade plans
The NBA disputes the report on the Kawhi Leonard case, while his return to the Raptors remains on hold. Meanwhile, the Wizards are considering DeMar DeRozan and Cleveland is preparing new moves on the trade market
When it finally seemed like it was time to put an end to the Kawhi Leonard-Clippers saga, the situation became even more confusing within a matter of hours. ESPN reported new details on the NBA investigation, the league publicly pushed back against parts of the report and, in the meantime, Kawhi’s potential return to Toronto remains frozen.
And while everyone is trying to figure out what will happen with the Clippers, the NBA trade market continues to move behind the scenes: DeMar DeRozan still has several options in front of him, while Cleveland appears determined to create room for another move.
Kawhi-Clippers, it seemed over. Then the NBA stepped in
Let’s start with the biggest story of the night. After nearly 11 months of investigation, an ESPN report stated that there was no evidence that Steve Ballmer had used Clippers sponsors to funnel money to Kawhi Leonard in an attempt to circumvent the salary cap.
The NBA found no evidence that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer funneled money through team sponsors to pay Kawhi Leonard and circumvent the salary cap, according to multiple sources
ESPN
At the center of the investigation remains the famous $28 million agreement between Leonard and Aspiration, a company that had business ties with the Clippers and later went bankrupt. The investigation, however, expanded over time to include other companies connected to the franchise as well.
For a few hours, it almost seemed like the prelude to the definitive end of the case.
Then the NBA stepped in.
The league issued a decidedly undiplomatic response, arguing that the report contained “numerous and significant inaccuracies” and specifying that the findings of the investigation would only be made public once the work was complete.
The ESPN article concerning the investigation of the Los Angeles Clippers, which the NBA declined to participate in, contains numerous and significant inaccuracies. The findings of this matter will be clarified once the investigation is concluded
Mike Bass – NBA
Translation: it’s not over yet.
And Kawhi to the Raptors remains on hold
The situation is also highly relevant to Toronto. The Raptors are waiting for the investigation to conclude before completing Kawhi Leonard’s return, the undisputed star of the franchise’s 2019 NBA championship.
The ESPN report seemed capable of speeding things up. The NBA’s response did exactly the opposite.
Adam Silver had indicated the end of the summer as a possible point for reaching a definitive resolution, so the feeling is that we shouldn’t have to wait much longer. But until the official verdict arrives, Toronto will likely have a hard time moving forward.
And to think that seven years after that championship, Kawhi could really return to the place where he enjoyed the most important season of his career.
DeRozan, the Wizards enter the picture
Meanwhile, one of the biggest names still available in free agency remains: DeMar DeRozan.
After considering several options during the summer, the six-time All-Star has reportedly also emerged as a target for the Washington Wizards, who continue to look for experience to add to their roster.
DeRozan had previously been linked to other teams as well, and now that we’ve reached August 18, the situation is starting to get interesting. He is certainly not the player he was a few seasons ago, but he remains a veteran capable of creating his own offense and immediately helping a team.
At this point, it will mainly come down to role, ambitions and contract. The closer we get to training camp, the easier it could become to find a compromise.
Cleveland isn’t done yet
The Cavaliers could also still have something in the works. After sending Dennis Schroder to Charlotte, Cleveland is reportedly looking for another trade to create greater financial flexibility, with Max Strus among the players who could be available.
The Cavs continue to be linked to Peyton Watson, one of the most intriguing restricted free agents still without a definitive resolution, while Jonathan Kuminga’s name has also been connected to the franchise in recent weeks.
So a potential Strus departure might not simply be a move to reduce the payroll. It could be the necessary step to set up something bigger.
Watson remains one of the names to watch
The situation surrounding Peyton Watson continues to be one of the most interesting storylines of the second half of August.
Denver retains significant control over his future because of his restricted free-agent status, but interest is there. In addition to the Cavaliers, the Bucks and Clippers have also been mentioned among the teams monitoring the situation.
The Nuggets certainly have no reason to give him away, which is why a sign-and-trade would have to make sense for them as well. But if Cleveland can actually clear additional cap space, it could become one of the teams to watch most closely.
That’s all for today. NBA News by Dunkest returns tomorrow with all the biggest stories from around the NBA. 🏀