Lakers News: Kawhi Leonard Trade Buzz, Rumors about DeMarcus Cousins, Lonzo Ball | Bleacher's report



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  LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Kawhi Leonard # 2 of the San Antonio Spurs heads to the basket while he overtakes Brandon Ingram # 14 of the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half of the match at Staples Center on 26 February, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. Spurs won 119-98. NOTE TO THE USER: The user expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and using this photo, the user agrees to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images)

Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images

Thanks to the free agent LeBron James for agreeing an agreement to relocate to Los Angeles, the Lakers of Los Angeles are back ]

The Purple and Gold are again relevant and the expectation of greatness has returned to the Staples Center, where jerseys with names like Wilt Chamberlain , Elgin Baylor, James Worthy, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant are hanging in the attic.

And even though James wins a $ 154 million contract over four years, it's the best decision Magic Johnson made in his short career as president of the Lakers, but he did not still finished.

He seems to be determined to fill it with a superstar to play with James

This slot machine could have gone to Paul George, but the native of Palmdale, Calif., Chose to give up his dream of playing for his local team agree to re-sign with the Thunder Oklahoma City. 59004] "I appreciate 100% Laker Nation wanting me to come home," said George during the ESPN series My Journey (Warriors Outsiders' Drew Shiller ). "I wanted to come here a year ago, before going to OKC, and unfortunately I was not traded to the Lakers-Lakers."

Now, Johnson has to focus either on the trade or on the wait. While names like Damian Lillard begin to float in commercial rumors, it's Kawhi Leonard that the Lakers seem to covet the most, and the feeling was reciprocal, but that may have changed since then. James decided to make Los Angeles his home.

Kawhi now prefers the Clippers

<img clbad = "lazy lazyImage atom" itemprop = "contentUrl" src = "https://img.bleacherreport.net/img/article/media_slots/ photos / 002/817/155 / dc0cebcdfd39d77577c9c48a2f78bf54_crop_exact.jpg? h = 53 & w = 80 & q = 70 & crop_x = center & crop_y = top "width =" 800 "height =" 533 "alt =" SAN ANTONIO, TX – APRIL 5: Kawhi Leonard # 2 of San Antonio Spurs manages the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 5, 2017 at the AT & T Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: The user expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and [o] 19659002] Mark Sobhani / Getty Images

Due to the reported mishandling of his injury, the relationship between Leonard and the San Antonio Spurs seems to be irreparable and the most intriguing part of it, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, was the fact that he wanted to play in Los Angeles, preferably with the Lakers. made an "overwhelming offer" to San Antonio to land Leonard, by covering themselves with their bets that they might have a better chance of getting it next summer, the Spurs have made it clear that the Lakers will have to pony if they want their two According to Spectrum SportsNet Larry Coon the award for Leonard is Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart, two draft picks and two new draft picks

But this strategy may prove to be ineffective, according to Yahoo Sports Shams Charania, because Leonard might not be interested in joining a superteam with James. He may be more interested in signing with the Los Angeles Clippers or the Philadelphia 76ers, by Charania.

"One thing that has been made very clearly, I will emphasize this: there is no guarantee that Kawhi Leonard will come to market in the summer, he will sign with the Lakers, period," said Charania on The Herd with Colin Cowherd via RealGM. "I think his options have widened a bit: there is obviously another team in Los Angeles, I think he would be very open to the Clippers." 19659004 "There is a belief in the league that if the Sixers get through, there could be It means that it may be in the interests of the Lakers to negotiate for Leonard now, and then to" recruit him "For the rest of the year in the hope of" Around Kawhi, it was made clear that there was no point in joining a superteam, "added Charania. "I do not think he's jumping for joy as LeBron James is in LA with the Lakers. If anything, it'll make him look, maybe more, towards the Clippers because he's a guy who has won the final player title against LeBron James. You think he's very excited and wants to join LeBron now? I think that has been exaggerated. "

Magic Johnson is a clever negotiator and, as evidenced by James' agreement, a natural for the management of a front office of the NBA, so the pursuit of Leonard is far from it. to be finished

to have a legitimate blow to get their man.

DeMarcus Cousins ​​could have been a Laker

 LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 5: DeMarcus Cousins ​​# 0 of the New Orleans Pelicans manipulates the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 5, 2017 at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California NOTE TO THE USER: The user acknowledges and expressly accepts

Andrew D. Bernstein / Getty Images

The Lakers accepting an agreement with LeBron James was the biggest news of the free agency period of this summer, until it was learned that DeMarcus Cousins ​​agreed to sign a one-year contract with the Golden State Warriors, worth $ 5.3 million rs

Disbelief that no one offered Cousi ns a max deal, the rich getting richer, how that would make the upcoming season useless and how the move would ruin the league.

Cousins ​​told The Undefeated Marc J. Spears that he did not receive any major contract offer before picking up the phone to call the defending champions, who will sign it with the exception of mid-level, a remarkable deal even though Cousins ​​can only play after the All-Star break.

Anthony Slater [19659035] @ anthonyVslater

The initial target of the Warriors on the MLE was Tyreke Evans. They were refused due to the lack of money desired (blows / minutes / etc). That's what still remained to be taken when DeMarcus Cousins ​​called Bob Myers

The Warriors can afford to wait for the services of Cousins, if he came back from a tendon Achilles tore playing like the player who averaged 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks before getting hurt.

According to the New York Times Marc Stein Magic Johnson and Jeanie Buss want the team to be as competitive as possible for the 2018-19 season and felt that they could not sign a player, no matter how talented, who could miss half of the year.

"Word also reached Monday night that LeBron's Lakers, having signed Rajon Rondo away from New Orleans and then losing Randle to pelicans, had the opportunity to sign Cousins ​​to a A year's worth similar to the one that landed at Golden State, "Stein wrote in his newsletter via Yahoo Sports Dan Feldman. "But it's been said that the Lakers are gone, opening the way for the Warriors to anger the basketball audience."

The Lakers are still high on Cousins, but could not afford to wait, even at a reduced rate, for his return from an injury like Golden State

DeMarcus Cousins ​​[19659029] @ boogiecousins ​​

The help is on the way ??

#TheResurgence
# 0Doubt https://t.co/cfTyxXY6Q8

L.A. He may have made a mistake on this front, because Cousins ​​is aiming for a training camp for his return.

"I shoot for a training camp," Cousins ​​told Spears . "This is not a BS This was not a fair comment to sound good in a free agency."

Did Lonzo Ball's Camp Cause a Knee Injury?

 DETROIT, MI - MARCH 26: Lonzo Ball # 2 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball against the Detroit Pistons on March 26, 2018 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO THE USER: The user acknowledges and expressly agrees that by downloading and / or in

Chris Schwegler / Getty Images

Lonzo Ball grew up in Los Angeles and played college at UCLA So, it would be logical for him to like to play But his desire to be excluded from any commercial deal to land on Kawhi Leonard led his side to let out a word from his torn meniscus?

According to Adrian of ESPN Wojnarowski, this could well be the case

Adrian Wojnarowski @ wojespn

Listening again to the discussion on the knee injury of Lonzo Ball, I misspoke: not that he needs it. https://t.co/YcI2iV0CQc

"This knee injury, I think there was a belief around the Lakers is that it was in his world that this was leaked there for the To prevent being exchanged, "said Wojnarowski sound podcast . "He does not want to be traded from Los Angeles It was not the Lakers who wanted information on this knee injury There were a lot of teams that were checking on possible deals with the Lakers They wanted to know. Many questions about this knee. "

If Ball's camp leaked a word on his knee, he could be in vain.

According to a Washington Post Tim Bontemps report, the Spurs are not interested in Ball

Although a trade is not likely, Ball still has reasons to worry.

Tania Ganguli @ taniaganguli

Rondo was told that this will be an open competition at the starting point. A source close to Lonzo Ball tells me: "Zo do not run the competition."

L.A. agreed to sign Rondo for a one year contract worth $ 9 million and told him that it was an open competition for the point of departure.

Rondo brings 12 years of experience, a championship and a reputation for intensifying his play in the playoffs at "Playoff Rondo."

He will challenge the ball, go to the ball and make things very interesting during Laker's practice.

Ball with either shrink or get up on occasion.

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