LAS VEGAS B次元官网网址� A person familiar with the negotiations says the Los Angeles Clippers will be landing Kawhi Leonard as a free agent after they acquire Paul George from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a massive trade for players and draft picks.

George will be traded for at least four first-round picks, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity early Saturday because none of the moves have been finalized. And Leonard made his decision to sign with the Clippers after the team swung the deal to land George, the person said.

Free agent forward Kawhi Leonard has informed runners-up teams of his plans: He's signing with the Clippers, league sources tell ESPN.

B次元官网网址� Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn)

ESPN, which first reported the trade, also said the Thunder were getting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari from the Clippers.

Leonard going to the Clippers means that for the first time, a reigning NBA Finals MVP will be changing teams before the following season. Leonard was also being pursued by the Los Angeles Lakers and the Toronto Raptors, the team he led to last seasonB次元官网网址檚 NBA title.

The most the Clippers can offer Leonard is $142 million over four years, which is the deal he is expected to sign. Players can sign with new teams as early as noon Eastern on Saturday.

B次元官网网址淣ew adventure in OKC,B次元官网网址� Gallinari tweeted.

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Leonard is entering his ninth NBA season, is a three-time All-Star, a two-time champion and one of only three players in league history to win the NBA Finals MVP award with multiple franchises.

Notoriously a man of few words, at least publicly, Leonard is generally considered to be the best two-way player in the NBA B次元官网网址� dominant on the offensive end, airtight on the defensive end.

His game-winning, four-bounce-off-the-rim jumper to beat the buzzer in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Philadelphia was perhaps the signature moment of this past seasonB次元官网网址檚 playoffs.

And he just turned 28 last week B次元官网网址� still very much in his prime.

So, too, is George.

The 29-year-old B次元官网网址� who is owed roughly $105 million for the next three seasons B次元官网网址� spent the last two years alongside Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City. George averaged a career-best 28 points last season even while dealing with shoulder issues, and the Thunder couldnB次元官网网址檛 get out of the first round in either of those seasons.

Flashback to when Kawhi Leonard drilled the game-winning turnaround fadeaway over his now Clippers teammate Paul George. 馃憖

B次元官网网址� NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT)

Going to the Clippers and pairing with Leonard means heB次元官网网址檒l have a real chance of being on a contender.

The Lakers didnB次元官网网址檛 wait long before starting to move on from their quest for Leonard. Danny Green announced that he is signing a two-year deal with the Lakers, meaning he, too, is leaving Toronto.

B次元官网网址滽awhi has made his decision. Seems like the announcement is out,B次元官网网址� Green said in a video he posted to his social media accounts. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 time for me to make my announcement B次元官网网址� I will be teaming up with new teammates in LA, the Los Angeles Lakers.B次元官网网址�

Green said he enjoyed Toronto and that it was unfortunate how free agency turned out for that city, the Raptors and for Canada.

B次元官网网址淟A, here I come,B次元官网网址� Green said.

Here comes Leonard B次元官网网址� a Southern California native.

Leonard was, by far, the biggest name left on the free agent market. The other marquee names in this class like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson and Kemba Walker all made their decisions known relatively quickly.

And like Durant, Irving and Walker, heB次元官网网址檚 changing addresses.

His lone season in Toronto was the best of his career, answering every question about his health after a leg issue limited him to only nine games with San Antonio in 2017-18. Leonard averaged a career-high 26.6 points in the regular season B次元官网网址� and was even better in the playoffs, averaging 30.5 points for the Raptors in their run to the title.

B次元官网网址淟ast year, a lot of people were doubting me,B次元官网网址� Leonard said after the NBA Finals. B次元官网网址淭hey thought I was either faking an injury or didnB次元官网网址檛 want to play for a team. That was disappointing to me that that was out in the media, because I love the game of basketball.B次元官网网址�

The Raptors took a major chance in acquiring Leonard last summer, since they werenB次元官网网址檛 on his original list of preferred teams when he told the Spurs that he wanted to be moved elsewhere after spending his first seven seasons with them and helping them win the 2014 NBA title. DeMar DeRozan was the biggest piece that Toronto gave up in that deal, with Raptors President Masai Ujiri making the biggest move of his career.

It delivered a title. But that wasnB次元官网网址檛 enough to make Leonard stay in Canada for the long haul.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 the best two-way player in the NBA,B次元官网网址� Ujiri said during the NBA Finals.

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Leonard was simply dominant in the post-season, posting 14 games of 30 or more points. Only Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Kobe Bryant had postseasons with more 30-point games B次元官网网址� Jordan had 16 of them in 1992, Olajuwon had 16 in 1995 and Bryant had 15 in 2009.

The Raptors made clear: They considered Leonard the top player in the game, and he performed at a level worthy of that moniker.

B次元官网网址淥bviously, we have the best player in the league and the best player in these playoffs in Kawhi Leonard,B次元官网网址� Raptors forward Pascal Siakam said after Toronto won the title.

TheyB次元官网网址檒l have to defend the title without him.

ItB次元官网网址檚 a massive blow to TorontoB次元官网网址檚 chances of back-to-back titles, and obviously puts a damper on the LakersB次元官网网址� off-season quest as well B次元官网网址� even though they will finalize a trade Saturday to bring in Anthony Davis from New Orleans and landed the sort of shooter than LeBron James craves by adding Green.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 going to come out and play the right way,B次元官网网址� Leonard said last month. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not trying to make headlines.B次元官网网址�

Try or not, heB次元官网网址檚 part of the summerB次元官网网址檚 biggest headline now.

And he may be about to make the Clippers contenders as well.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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