Los Angeles Clippers

Kawhi Leonard signed a reported four-year, $176.3 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports and Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. 

The pact includes a player option for the final year. 

Ian Begley of SNY reported Leonard's deal includes a trade kicker:

Leonard was one of the biggest potential free agents this offseason, though the expectation was he would return to the Clippers. The question was whether he would pick up his $36 million player option for the 2021-22 season.

While he declined his option and hit the open market, there was an argument that picking it up might have made sense, as it would have allowed him to sign a five-year, $235 million deal next offseason. 

Or, as ESPN's Bobby Marks noted, he could have opted in this year and immediately signed a four-year extension off that:

With Leonard potentially missing the entirety, or majority, of the 2021-22 season while recovering from a torn ACL, he took the short-term pay bump and the long-term security of a four-year deal. Regardless of how he got paid, there's no question he just landed huge money. 

He's earned it. The 30-year-old averaged 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game last season, shooting 51.2 percent from the field, 39.8 percent from three and 88.5 percent from the charity stripe, just missing the illustrious 50-40-90 club. He remains arguably the NBA's best two-way player as a smothering defender who was an All-Star, first-team All-NBA selection and second-team All-Defensive pick last year. 

Leonard and Paul George haven't led the Clippers to a title in their first two seasons together, though there's an argument that if Leonard hadn't torn his ACL in last year's postseason, they might have done so. 

But he'll have at least three, and potentially four, more seasons with the Clippers to accomplish that goal.   

The Los Angeles Clippers agreed to a two-year deal with swingman Justise Winslow on Friday, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski:

Terms of the deal were not immediately available.

The No. 10 overall pick in 2015 out of Duke was limited to just 26 games last season while playing with the Memphis Grizzlies. That came a year after Winslow suffered a hip injury in practice that ended his season after 11 games. Yet when he's been healthy and consistently playing, Winslow has provided solid depth and versatility for his clubs. 

In 2018-19, while with the Miami Heat, Winslow averaged a career-best 12.6 points and 4.3 assists with 5.4 rebounds per game in 66 contests. 

Now he'll get an opportunity to prove he can regularly put up those numbers on a Clippers team looking to return to the Western Conference Finals in 2021-22. 

At 25 years old, Winslow should be entering his prime as he joins a roster loaded with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Reggie Jackson and Ivica Zubac. 

As Los Angeles prepares to make another deep postseason run, Winslow will be called on to help create mismatches across the floor and give head coach Ty Lue a number of options in the rotation. 

The doomsday scenario didn't come to fruition for the Los Angeles Clippers, as Kawhi Leonard will reportedly re-sign with the franchise.

Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reported Friday the "terms are being discussed" but that Leonard won't leave in free agency.

Haynes had reported Sunday the five-time All-Star was expected to turn down his $36 million player option for next season. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN added that "the expectation is that Leonard will negotiate a new deal to stay with Clippers."

Paul George is set to start his four-year, $176.3 million extension, but losing Leonard would have been nothing short of a disaster for the Clippers. They mortgaged their future to bring him into the fold and would have had little to show for his brief time with the franchise.

Los Angeles basically had no choice but to throw as much money as it could Leonard's way, but that's not to say this move will be without risk once it's finalized.

The 30-year-old put together another solid regular season in 2020-21, averaging 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game while shooting 51.2 percent from the field, the second-highest mark of his career.

During the playoffs, he looked like the player who won the Finals MVP award with the Toronto Raptors in 2019. The 6'7" forward had two 40-point outings in the first round against the Dallas Mavericks and 65 combined points in Games 3 and 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Utah Jazz.

But he missed the final two games of that series and the entirety of the West finals with a right knee injury. He later underwent surgery for a torn ACL, raising questions about next season and beyond.

Kevin Durant missed one season after rupturing his right Achilles tendon in the 2019 Finals and returned to form in 2020-21.

Perhaps Leonard can rebound in a similar fashion, but Los Angeles is still potentially facing a lost season in 2021-22 if he misses most or all of the campaign.

From a durability perspective, Leonard isn't Durant, either. Since making just nine appearances in 2017-18 because of a right quad injury, he has been one of the stars most associated with the trend of load management.

The NBA stated in November 2019 the Clippers "reasonably determined that Leonard is suffering from an ongoing injury to the patella tendon in his left knee." As a result, Los Angeles was careful in managing his workload.

The ACL injury was to his other knee, but the cause for concern is obvious.

By getting a commitment from Leonard, though, the Clippers resolved their biggest piece of business for this offseason. Until he's back on the court, however, the organization's future will remain cloudy.

The Los Angeles Clippers reportedly brought back another key player from last season's roster Friday by signing guard Reggie Jackson to a two-year, $22 million contract.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported details of Jackson's deal, which represented the maximum allowable by the collective bargaining agreement. ESPN's Bobby Marks provided further details about the agreement:

Including the reported re-signing of Nicolas Batum, the Clippers have 12 players under contract for the 2021-22 NBA season, though Kawhi Leonard is expected to eventually re-sign to join the list:

• Paul George
  
• Marcus Morris Sr.
• Patrick Beverley
• Luke Kennard
• Reggie Jackson
• Serge Ibaka
• Rajon Rondo
• Ivica Zubac
• Nicolas Batum
• Yogi Ferrell
• Terance Mann
• Daniel Oturu

Before the potential Leonard contract, Los Angeles is $53.7 million over the NBA's salary cap but remain $23.9 million under the luxury-tax threshold, per Spotrac.

Assuming Leonard returns, the Clippers will be basically trying to run it back with a squad that posted a 47-25 record in the regular season to earn the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.

They reached the conference finals before getting knocked out in six games by the second-seeded Phoenix Suns.

Leonard's availability for the 2021-22 campaign is unsettled after he underwent surgery in July on a partially torn ACL in his right knee, which is why re-signing depth players like Jackson was so important.

Jackson averaged 10.7 points, 3.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds across 67 games for the Clippers last season and has proved capable of being an impact player either as a starter or off the bench during time with the Clippers, Detroit Pistons and Oklahoma City Thunder.

The lingering question is whether L.A. will try to scour the trade market for a potential move to bring in a third star alongside Leonard and George, or whether they'll enter the season without any marquee moves and then reassess their needs at the trade deadline.

One name that's popped up in the rumor mill is Houston Rockets point guard John Wall. Houston is still working through a rebuilding phase, which doesn't make the 30-year-old guard a perfect fit for its roster, and Wall would bring that added star power to L.A.

Since the Clippers are so far over the salary cap, however, they'd have to find a way to make the salaries comparable in order to make that type of blockbuster deal.

Wall is heading into the third season of a four-year, $171.1 million contract that includes a $44.3 million cap hit for 2021-22.

For now, Los Angeles' front office will probably focus on the logistics of getting Leonard back under contract, though with a lot of free-agent movement already complete, there aren't any teams with the financial flexibility to attract the two-time NBA Finals MVP, furthering the belief he'll end up back with the Clippers eventually.

Once that happens, then perhaps the Clips can see whether there's a trade that makes sense before they tip off the new season in October.

The Los Angeles Clippers and free-agent combo guard Reggie Jackson reportedly came to terms on a two-year, $22 million contract.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported details of the signing Friday:

Jackson established himself as an effective offensive playmaker across stints with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Detroit Pistons and Clippers since being selected in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft.

The 31-year-old Boston College product posted his best statistical season with the Pistons in 2015-16 when he averaged a career-high 18.8 points and 6.2 assists across 79 appearances. He averaged 10.7 points and 3.1 assists in a more limited role for the Clippers last season.

He still ranked 23rd among qualified point guards in ESPN's real-plus minus during the 2020-21 campaign, thanks in large part to his continued improvement on the defensive end, which was a point of concern earlier in his career.

Jackson credited the Clippers for his mid-career growth since signing with the organization in February 2020 in comments he made during the playoffs:

"They've empowered me. Honestly, this team has empowered me. This organization has empowered me since the time I've been here. ... Throughout my career, trying to always make the right play, not necessarily just being myself and coming out and playing the game makes it a little difficult. But the more I just continue to be myself, the more that this team empowered me to be myself, I've been able to find success, fortunately, been able to stay healthy."

In all, Jackson has averaged 12.6 points, 4.2 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 threes across 628 regular-season games in the NBA.

He's found a nice comfort zone since joining the Clippers, so it doesn't come as much surprise the sides came to an agreement on a new deal. He provides versatility in his role, making him valuable whether it's coming off the bench or being among the main scoring options when the team is dealing with injuries.

Jackson will once again split time with Patrick Beverley and Rajon Rondo to open the 2021-22 campaign, but his overall involvement could increase if Kawhi Leonard departs and isn't replaced by another high-end star, which would open up a lot of offensive touches.

The Los Angeles Clippers remain "hopeful" of re-signing Reggie Jackson this offseason, according to ESPN's Jordan Schultz.

Schultz added the Clippers might have a hard time making the money work but that Jackson "likes the organization and enjoyed his role" with the team. The 31-year-old averaged 10.7 points and 3.1 assists in 67 regular-season games with the Clippers in 2020-21.

He was also an unexpected star during the playoffs as he averaged 17.8 points in 19 postseason contests. His peak came in Game 6 of the conference semifinals, as he dropped a double-double (27 points, 10 assists) in a closeout win over the Utah Jazz.

After the Clippers lost to the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals, Jackson became emotional when recounting his time with the team:

Given Jackson's generally underwhelming tenure with the Detroit Pistons, the odds of him getting a monster contract offer looked slim. But he seemed to play himself into a nice payday with his performance this past year.

Instead, his options are quickly drying up.

The Athletic's Sam Amick reported Tuesday the New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets could emerge as suitors.

The Pelicans have since swung a sign-and-trade to acquire Devonte' Graham from the Charlotte Hornets, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Wojnarowski also reported the New York Knicks are planning to sign Kemba Walker once he's bought out of his contract by the Oklahoma City Thunder. According to SNY's Ian Begley, Jackson wasn't a significant target for New York.

Returning to the Clippers may not be a bad fallback. Jackson obviously found a comfort level in L.A., and he may have a bigger role in the rotation next season.

Assuming he re-signs, Kawhi Leonard is still likely to miss a lot of time after undergoing surgery for a partially torn ACL. The Clippers will need players to help replace the 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists he averaged in 2020-21, and Jackson could be a beneficiary.

Nicolas Batum and the Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to terms on a two-year deal, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Batum, 32, signed a one-year, $2.56 million contract with the Clippers this offseason. He averaged 8.1 points on 46.4 percent shooting (40.4 percent from three-point range), 4.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 67 games (38 starts).

The Frenchman is entering his 14th NBA season after spending his first 13 years with the Portland Trail Blazers and Charlotte Hornets.

Charlotte waived Batum on Nov. 29, making him a free agent. The Clippers signed him two days later.

The 6'8" forward struggled during his final year in Charlotte, averaging just 3.6 points on 34.6 percent shooting in 23.0 minutes per game.

But he enjoyed a career resurgence in L.A., helping the Clippers earn a 47-25 regular-season record and helping provide some consistency in a rotation that saw a lot of revolving players because of injury.

Of note, All-Stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George sat a combined 38 games, while Serge Ibaka (31 missed games) and Patrick Beverley (35 games) also were out for long stretches.

Adding Batum back into the mix gives the Clippers some much-needed stability in their rotation and a steady veteran presence who can fill a variety of roles.

Reggie Jackson, fresh off a superb postseason, is going to have his fair share of suitors in free agency. 

According to The Athletic's Sam Amick, the Los Angeles Clippers "want to re-sign" the veteran point guard, but a source told him that Jackson is "expected to receive serious interest from New Orleans if—when?—the Pelicans miss out on Kyle Lowry."

The New York Knicks, Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets are also reportedly interested in potentially signing Jackson.

Jackson, 31, was a revelation for the shorthanded Clippers in the postseason, averaging 17.8 points and 3.4 assists while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from three. With Kawhi Leonard forced to miss the Western Conference Finals after suffering a partial ACL tear, Jackson averaged 20.3 points in the series. 

While the Clippers lost in six games to the Suns, the series was tight in no small part due to Jackson's efforts. 

Before Jackson's Clippers tenure, injuries had derailed his once promising career. He averaged 18.8 points and 6.2 assists per game with the Detroit Pistons in 2015-16 while leading them to the postseason, which looked like a marker of great things to come. 

But one injury after another stalled those plans, and the Pistons eventually bought him out in February 2020. He went on to sign with the Clippers two days later, but he didn't flash in his first go-around with the team like he did in this year's postseason. 

Jackson made himself some money in those playoffs, though. A reunion with the Clippers would make sense. He and Paul George are close friends, per ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, and he clearly enjoyed his time with the team. 

"Honestly, this team has empowered me," Jackson told Shelburne. "I've gone through my career trying to make the right play and not necessarily just being myself and coming out and playing the game. But the more I just continue to be myself, the more this team empowered me to be myself, I've been able to find success."

However, the Clippers are going to have competition for him, as plenty of teams are set to miss out on the Kyle Lowry sweepstakes and will still need help at point guard. 

Kawhi Leonard could end up re-signing with the Los Angeles Clippers, but the five-time All-Star is reportedly keeping his options open in free agency. 

Per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Leonard "will listen" to pitches from other teams even though the expectation is he will remain with the Clippers:

Haynes reported earlier in the day that Leonard was declining his $36 million option with the Clippers for the 2021-22 season. 

Leonard is one of the great unknowns for next season because of the status of his knee. 

The Clippers announced that Leonard had surgery on July 13 to repair a partially torn ACL. He missed the final eight playoff games after suffering the injury in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz. 

No timetable for Leonard's return was given in the announcement about his surgical procedure. 

"Right now our focus, like Kawhi, like his is, is on his health,” Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said to reporters after the 2021 NBA draft on Thursday. “He had major surgery. He tore his ACL. That’s going to require a great deal of time and we want to support him in that.”

ESPN's Bobby Marks noted a four-year max extension with the Clippers would pay Leonard $176.2 million, but the 30-year-old could also sign a one-plus-one deal and opt out after next season to potentially sign a five-year max worth $235 million. 

Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer reported last month that the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat plan to make a “hard push” to sign Leonard. 

Leonard joined the Clippers as a free agent in July 2019. The two-time NBA Finals MVP has averaged 26.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in 109 starts over the previous two seasons.