Sources: Leonard and George Headed to Los Angeles Clippers

NBA sources say that the Los Angeles Clippers will make a trade to acquire Paul George from the Oklahoma City Thunder, which will clear the way for Kawhi Leonard to sign a four-year $142 million deal with the Clippers.

In a move to keep Leonard from joining the Lakers to team up with LeBron James and recently acquired Anthony Davis, the Clippers will trade five first round drafts picks in all with four unprotected and one protected as well as two pick swaps to Oklahoma City to acquire George, said league sources.

The Clippers will send the Thunder their unprotected picks for 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2026, protected first round picks for 2023 from Miami, as well as the rights to swap picks in 2023 and 2025 with the Clippers, said league sources.

The Clippers will also send Danilo Gallinari and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Oklahoma City.

Leonard and George have wanted to play on the same team, and George and agent Aaron Mintz, spoke to general manager of the Thunder Sam Presti requesting a trade, sources added.

Leonard wanted to sign with a legitimate championship contender, and believes George is the co-star he wants alongside him. George may miss the first couple of weeks of the 2019-20 NBA regular season while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, said sources.

Leonard and George joining the Clippers makes the Staples Center, home to both the Clippers and Lakers, a star-studded arena as the Lakers have James and Davis.

During the last week, Leonard spoke to three teams he discussed signing a deal with including the Clippers, Lakers and Toronto Raptors,

It appears as though the defending champion Raptors have a huge hole to fill with the departure of Leonard and no big marquee free agent left on the market to entice.