Clippers’ shocking moves for Kawhi, George shake up entire league

Kawhi Leonard wanted to play with another star after all. Just turns out, it was a player no one expected: Paul George. And with a team that supposedly was behind the Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors in the Leonard sweepstakes: the Los Angeles Clippers.

And now Leonard and George – who both had expressed an interest in

returning to Southern California where they grew up – have teamed up to alter the balance of power in the NBA and make the Clippers a championship contender.

To get the commitment from Leonard, the Clippers acquired George from Oklahoma City for multiple firstround draft picks, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari.

The news – it didn’t break until 1:53 a.m. ET Saturday – was a shocker in a wild free agency period that had players changing teams left and right as soon as free agency began last Sunday.

Leonard, the MVP of the Finals for Toronto, was the last All-Star caliber player available, and the Clippers gave up significant assets to make this Leonard-George pairing possible.

But the message from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank and Doc Rivers is clear: they are going for a championship in 2019-20 with a roster that features Leonard, George, Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell.

ESPN reported Leonard and George met trying to find a way to make this happen, and the Clippers did what they had to do to make it happen. Don’t forget, Leonard and George were almost teammates in 2011-12. The Pacers drafted Leonard in 2011, a year after they selected George. But they traded Leonard to San Antonio. Almost a decade later, they’re on the same team.

The Clippers — yep the Los Angeles Clippers of Michael Olowokandi, and 12- and 10-win seasons and Donald Sterling — really pulled this off.

This is a monumental moment — perhaps the biggest? — in Clippers history, and the unexpected moves have a direct impact on four teams (the Clippers, Lakers, Thunder and Toronto Raptors) and an indirect impact on the rest of the league, especially playoff teams who think they can make a run at the title this season.

The Clippers won big; the Lakers lost and will have to fill roster slots with whoever is left in free agency; the Raptors are disappointed but they have their championship and now must contemplate their future; and the Thunder are headed for a rebuild, prompting questions about Russell Westbrook’s future with OKC.

Golden State and Houston will have to figure out how they don’t get left behind, and Milwaukee and Philadelphia see an opening to win the East.

But right now and perhaps all next season, the center of the NBA will be in Los Angeles where the Lakers-Clippers rivalry has real stakes with Leonard and George in one locker room at Staples Center and LeBron James and Anthony Davis in another.

The Clippers have been after Leonard for more than a year, and it seemed like for the longest time, they were the favorite to sign him in free agency. But then, it looked like maybe that wouldn’t happen. Toronto did everything right to re-sign him, and the Lakers offered the opportunity to play alongside James and Davis.

NBA fans in the Eastern time zone were in for a surprise when they awoke Saturday morning.

The NBA changed drastically in the past week, culminating with moves no one saw coming. Except for the Clippers and Leonard. (USA Today/TNS)

Lakers add Cousins, will re-sign Rondo, others

The Los Angeles Lakers put more pieces of their revamped roster together on Saturday, agreeing to a one-year deal with free-agent center DeMarcus Cousins and bringing back point guard Rajon Rondo.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the agreement for $2.3 million and said that while Cousins, who turns 29 next month, had drawn interest from the Miami Heat, and that former teammate Davis and several other Lakers convinced him to join them in Los Angeles.

If Cousins can stay injury free, he could join with Davis – whose trade acquisition became official on Saturday – and James to give the Lakers the big three they have been seeking. The Lakers had hoped the third would be Kawhi Leonard, but he chose to play with the Los Angeles Clippers instead.

Cousins, a four-time All-Star with the Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans, signed a $5.3 million, oneyear deal with Golden State before the 2017-18 season and joined the Warriors in January after his rehab from a torn Achilles. He played in 30 games in the regular season, averaging 16.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 25.7 minutes per game.

He was limited to just eight games in the Warriors’ run to the NBA Finals because of a torn quad.

Rondo is returning to the Lakers on a two-year deal, Wojnarowski reported.

He was credited for providing veteran leadership as a tumultuous season wore on with the Lakers last season, but injuries limited him to 46 games (29 starts). The 33-year-old, who is entering his 14th NBA season, averaged 9.2 points, 8.0 assists and 5.3 rebounds last season.

The Lakers also fortified the roster’s depth on Saturday, re-signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, JaVale McGee and restricted free agent Alex Caruso, and adding free agent guard Quinn Cook. Yahoo reports Cook’s deal is for two years and $6 million. Caldwell-Pope, 26, played the past two seasons with the Lakers after four years in Detroit and averaged 11.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 24.8 minutes while appearing in all 82 games last season.

His deal is reportedly two years and $16 million.

McGee, 31, is coming off his first year in Los Angeles and gives the Lakers a veteran presence to work alongside Davis. McGee averaged a career-best 12.0 points to go with 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in just 22.3 minutes per game last season. He started 62 of the 75 games he played in.

His deal is reportedly worth $8.2 million over two years and has a player option.

Caruso, 25, averaged 9.2 points and 3.1 assists in 25 games (four starts) while playing a large role late last season. His deal is reportedly worth $5.5 million over two years.

Cook, 26, spent the past two seasons with the Golden State Warriors. He averaged 6.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 14.3 minutes per game last season.

The Lakers also officially announced the signing free agent swingman Danny Green on a two-year deal, which was reported Friday. Per ESPN, Green, who spent the past season with Leonard and the Raptors, will make $30 million.