Woj: Spurs, Raptors agree over Leonard-Derozan trade
Updated 18:43, 21-Jul-2018
Li Xiang
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NBA’s Toronto Raptors agreed to send DeMar Derozan, Jakob Poeltl, and a protected 2019 first-round pick to the San Antonio Spurs in return for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green, ESPN’s Wojnarowiski said on Twitter Wednesday.
According to Woj, the 2019 first-round pick is protected and will turn into two second-round picks after one year.
As part of the deal, 31-year-old Danny Green signed a four-year contract of 40 million US dollars with the Spurs in summer 2015 and chose to exercise the last year of his contract. Poeltl is 22-years-old and is just over seven-feet tall. He was selected by the Raptors with their 9th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Danni Green has been known for his defense and three-point shooting. /VCG Photo

Danni Green has been known for his defense and three-point shooting. /VCG Photo

Neither Leonard nor Derozan has expressed much passion for the deal. Derozan made three posts on Instagram stating: “Be told one thing & the outcome another. Can’t trust em. Ain’t no loyalty in this game. Sell you out quick for a little bit of nothing…”, “Soon you’ll understand…” and “Don’t disturb…”
According to Haynes, Derozan met the Raptors’ representatives in Las Vegas during the 2018 NBA Summer League and was told that the team would not trade him. Derozan signed a five-year contract of about 139 million US dollars with Toronto in summer 2016 and still has three years left.
As for Leonard, Haynes said that the 2014 NBA FMVP “has no desire to play in Toronto.” Having signed a five-year deal of 94 million US dollars in 2015, Leonard could choose to opt out the contract in 2019, but before that, he had no real say in where he could go.
Jakob Poeltl was selected by the Raptors with the 9th pick in the 2106 NBA Draft. /VCG Photo

Jakob Poeltl was selected by the Raptors with the 9th pick in the 2106 NBA Draft. /VCG Photo

It was already common knowledge that there’s no fix for the relations between the Spurs and Leonard, who has made it clear that he wants to join the Los Angeles Lakers in the summer of 2019, as a free agent. San Antonio told the world that while they were willing to keep Leonard, by any means, the team was also open to hearing other offers for deals.
According to ESPN, previously, the Spurs wanted an All-Star player, high-potential young players and multiple NBA Draft picks for Leonard. Such a high price has already scared different interested parties including the Lakers that planned to take in Leonard without paying anything in the summer of  2019.
Leaving San Antonio will cost Leonard financially. If he stays, thanks to the Designated Veteran Player Rule (DVPR), Leonard can sign a five-year contract extension of 219 million US dollars with the Spurs. But if he departs for Toronto and re-signs with the team in 2019, it will still be a five-year contract, but with a pay cut of 190 million US dollars. And if he leaves again, Leonard can only sign, at most, a four-year deal at 141 million US dollars, with a team that has space on their payroll.