​A fresh rumor suggests that before finalizing their trade for LaMelo Ball last week, the Minnesota Timberwolves pursued a different future Hall of Famer besides Giannis Antetokounmpo. After their playoff exit in the semifinals at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota recognized a need for change and sought to overhaul their roster. Many expected the target to be Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, given that they had been among the frontrunners for him as recently as February. Yet when it came to this month’s pursuit of the 10-time All-Star, the Timberwolves lacked the assets to meet Milwaukee’s revised asking price, prompting them to pivot to a surprising deal for the Charlotte Hornets’ star.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Minnesota was among the teams that recently explored trading for Kawhi Leonard, the seven-time All-Star. Charania noted that several clubs, including the Timberwolves and the Detroit Pistons, had serious conversations in the past couple of weeks, but they were rebuffed due to Leonard’s control over an expiring contract. Ultimately, Toronto emerged as the only team Leonard was willing to extend with, which paved the way for the Raptors to complete a trade on Tuesday.
Under the deal, the Los Angeles Clippers receive Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two future first-round picks, one future first-round swap, and two second-rounders in exchange for Leonard.