The news broke shortly before 2 a.m. ET on Saturday morning, sending the night owls of the NBA universe into a frenzy.
Kawhi Leonard will reportedly sign a four-year, $142 million contract with the Clippers. Just like that, the league's top free agent is off the market.
MORE: NBA players react to Kawhi, PG-13 joining forces
But Leonard isn't the only one heading to Los Angeles. The Clippers are also adding Paul George in a stunning trade with the Thunder, one that will send point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, forward Danilo Gallinari and an avalanche of draft picks to Oklahoma City.
This is a staggering price (but worth it) for Kawhi Leonard + Paul George:
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 6, 2019
2021 Miami (unprotected)
2022 LAC (unprotected)
2023 Miami (top 14 prot.)
2023 pick swap
2024 LAC (unprotected)
2025 pick swap
2026 LAC (unprotected)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Danilo Gallinari
This power play by the Clippers has already sent shockwaves throughout the NBA, so it's worth lining up the immediate winners and losers of Leonard's decision.
Kawhi Leonard free agency winners
Kawhi Leonard
Leonard played this perfectly. He used all of his leverage to control the situation from start to finish.
The Clippers, Lakers and Raptors stayed surprisingly quiet throughout the free agency process out of fear they would lose Leonard's trust. As his suitors shut down communication to the media, Leonard recruited George, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, and George requested a trade out of OKC. Leonard and the members of his inner circle pulled the strings and got everything the two-time NBA Finals MVP desired.
A city he wants. An organization he wants. A chance at more titles he wants. A teammate he wants. And as an added bonus, the Lakers are weaker for having waited on him.
It's the summer of Kawhi. We're just along for the ride.
Los Angeles Clippers
DUH.
The Clippers have been setting the stage for this kind of splash. Assets acquired as part of the Tobias Harris and Blake Griffin trades were instrumental in the deal for George. They attended Leonard's games like a college coach targeting a five-star prospect. They established an identity as the blue collar alternative in LA to the Lakers.
Los Angeles got it done, and now it has a legitimate dynamic duo capable of leading the team to the NBA Finals. The Clippers are already the early favorites to win the 2020 NBA championship.
No more Michael Olowokandi jokes, folks.
Jerry West
Good luck trying to match this list.
And Jerry West has now been part of the successful free-agent recruitment and landing of:
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) July 6, 2019
-Shaquille O'Neal
-Kevin Durant
-Kawhi Leonard
(And acquiring of Kobe Bryant and Paul George.)
There is nobody who comes close to this in the history of the NBA or perhaps all of sports.
Billy Crystal
Being a Clippers fan all these years finally paid off for ol' Billy. Take that, Jack Nicholson!
— Billy Crystal (@BillyCrystal) July 6, 2019
Kawhi Leonard free agency losers
Los Angeles Lakers
Wait, the Lakers lost to... the Clippers? In free agency? We must be in an alternate universe.
Not only did the Lakers miss out on Leonard, they also watched from the sidelines as their other choices flew off the board. Los Angeles quickly snagged Danny Green after the Leonard news hit Twitter, but they followed that up with the signings of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and JaVale McGee. Is Plan B really running it back?
Obviously having LeBron James and Anthony Davis is great. The Lakers could advance deep into the postseason. Someone has to fill those open slots, though. That's a lot of weight to put on James at this stage in his career (nearly 60,000 minutes combined with the regular season and playoffs). Davis has never reached the conference finals as the top option.
The Lakers were on the verge of forming a new "Big Three." Now they might not be the best team in their own building.
Toronto Raptors
This move is unprecedented. Never before has an NBA Finals MVP left immediately after winning a championship. Toronto will always have the 2019 title, but man, that's rough.
The Raptors did right by Leonard. They kept him healthy with "load management." They surrounded him with a strong roster and a smart head coach. Again, they won the whole freaking thing.
Leonard may have realized that Toronto only had an opportunity to go back-to-back next season before a bunch of his teammates hit free agency. The Clippers offered more long-term stability. They only needed that second star to secure a guarantee from him.
With Leonard no longer part of the equation, the Raptors can still reach the playoffs, but they aren't close to a true contender. Replay those NBA Finals highlights, Toronto.
Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti
Traded James Harden. Kevin Durant walked. Selected poorly in recent drafts. Traded George only a year after re-signing him.
Presti is a smart, respected executive, and he did handle negotiations with the Clippers and Raptors well given the sudden request George handed to him. But he has to take another L here.
It could be rebuild time in OKC, and perhaps Presti will look back on this deal as a turning point. (Prepare for the Russell Westbrook trade rumors.) For now, his team is worse without George. Maybe a down-the-road winner.
Totally guessing about Kawhi Leonard's decision
So, uh, those "sources" everyone had...
Kawhi Leonard and his camp found it comical throughout the process that he was “reportedly” headed to every team but the Clippers. In the end, his small circle kept everyone guessing. And that’s what occurred: guessing.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 6, 2019
Oops!
Unleash#Kawhi pic.twitter.com/ye9cxLT6mw
— Freezing Cold Takes (@OldTakesExposed) July 6, 2019