NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz Surrounding Kawhi Leonard, Kemba Walker and More
With the 2018 NBA draft now a thing of the past, all of the focus turns toward which players will be making moves this offseason.
Free agency will garner its share of attention, but the summer is also the season of trades for the NBA. Last year, for instance, started with the Oklahoma City Thunder shocking everyone by acquiring Paul George from the Indiana Pacers.
This year doesn't figure to be any different with 29 teams competing to catch the Golden State Warriors. Some are better positioned to close that gap in 2018-19 than others, but everything is being done to win a championship.
Looking at where things stand on the trade front, here are the latest rumors about some of the biggest potential moves waiting to happen.
Lakers' Pursuit of Kawhi Leonard
If the Los Angeles Lakers are serious about wanting to add Kawhi Leonard, they will need to catch the San Antonio Spurs at the right moment.
Per ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, the Lakers were immediately rebuffed by the Spurs in their first attempt to discuss a trade involving the two-time All-Star.
"They basically shut the door on us," one source told Shelburne.
It's also possible the Spurs aren't going to let Leonard and his camp dictate what they will do this summer like Kyrie Irving did with the Cleveland Cavaliers last year.
Per ESPN's Michael C. Wright, Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said Thursday the team is going to do everything possible to keep Leonard:
"Kawhi and his family mean a lot to our organization and to the community. While none of us would wish we are where we are, we're going to do what we can to build the best relationship we can with him, and we'll explore all of our options. But the first one would be to do what we can to keep Kawhi as a part of our group."
The Spurs essentially played all of last season without Leonard, who only featured in nine games due to lingering issues with his quad. They went 47-35 before losing to Golden State in the first round of the playoffs.
After seeing how easily Golden State disposed of his team in the postseason, Buford's current position with Leonard is understandable.
The Lakers are in a bad position to negotiate for Leonard this summer. They have good young players like Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball, but no one on the roster is close to being a star at the level of Leonard when he is healthy.
The Spurs have been one of the premier franchises in the NBA for 20 years because they don't settle for anything less than what they want. Leonard is too important and valuable to them to take 75 cents on the dollar in a potential deal.
Cavs' Uncertain Approach
While keeping LeBron James will be the Cleveland Cavaliers' top priority this summer, the defending four-time Eastern Conference champions are also trying to find different ways to upgrade a roster that is a mess right now.
Per Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, the Cavs could make a play to acquire Kemba Walker from the Charlotte Hornets.
Bleacher Report's Ken Berger noted after the draft—when Cleveland selected Collin Sexton at No. 8—one person close to Walker said such a deal with the Cavs is still possible.
It's going to take a lot of creativity for Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman to significantly upgrade his roster this summer. Their salary cap is $38.5 million over the limit with James' $35.6 million option included.
Per ESPN's Dave McMenamin, the Cavs have interest in keeping Kevin Love next season, regardless of what happens with James. He is owed $24.1 million in 2018-19 and would seem to be the only major trade asset they have, especially since they don't have any expiring contracts on the books.
Walker would certainly provide a necessary boost to Cleveland's point guard rotation. It went through last season with Isaiah Thomas, Derrick Rose, George Hill and Jose Calderon.
Over the past three seasons, Walker has averaged at least 20 points and five rebounds per game in Charlotte.
Everything in Cleveland is on hold at this moment until James makes a decision, but at least the front office is taking a proactive approach to upgrading a roster that has been in a constant state of flux since Irving was traded last August.
Marcin Gortat's Return to Washington Unlikely
If there are odds for where Marcin Gortat will play next season, the Washington Wizards would likely be at the bottom of that list.
Per The Sports Capitol's Ben Standig, one source said the 34-year-old center "won't be on the Wizards next season."
Even Gortat has acknowledged the likelihood he will be traded at some point this summer:
It shouldn't come as a surprise the Wizards would be looking to move on from Gortat. He clashed with John Wall on multiple occasions last season.
Despite Gortat's declining performance—his 8.4 points per game last season marked his lowest output since 2009-10—he does offer any interested team an expiring contract that will cost $13.565 million next season.
The Wizards aren't in quite as rough financial shape as Cleveland, but it's going to be a struggle to do anything significant at $23.8 million over the cap next season. They are paying big money to a roster that only went 43-39 last season and lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Dealing Gortat isn't going to drastically turn things around in Washington, though it does get rid of one potential headache given his relationship with Wall.
