Warriors Almost Pulled Off Kawhi Leonard Coup

Merlin reports Golden State came "close" to acquiring Kawhi Leonard before the Clippers pulled out, and had also pursued Giannis before the deadline. The Warriors instead landed Kristaps Porziņģis in a swap that sent Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta. Per Tim Kawakami, the team will be "just as aggressive" this offseason as it tries to "line up one more run" with Stephen Curry entering the later stages of his career. Merlin notes Porziņģis has been effective when healthy, averaging 17.6 points in limited minutes, while Kawhi is posting a career-high 28.1 points and elite two-way value. Pairing Curry with Kawhi would be eye-catching, but health, salary cap and rival willingness make such a move difficult. Expect Golden State to hunt stars again and lean on Porziņģis as a bridge piece.