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Boston Celtics: Ainge tried to acquire Kawhi Leonard at the Deadline

ByMateo Aycardi|
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 02: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs warms up before the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 02, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matteo Marchi/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 02: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs warms up before the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 02, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matteo Marchi/Getty Images)

Boston Celtics tried to acquire San Antonio superstar Kawhi Leonard at the Trade Deadline

There will be a number of suitors contending to make a move for the San Antonio Spurs superstar Kawhi Leonard this summer, and the Boston Celtics are rumored to be one of them.

Developments throughout the regular season and the playoffs have made it clear that Leonard’s current relationship with the organization is rocky at the very best.

Count the Celtics as one of the teams that wanted a shot at the former NBA Finals MVP, according to a recent report by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski

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“The Boston Celtics made a trade offer to San Antonio before the February deadline, but the Spurs turned it down,” Wojnarowski wrote. “So far this spring, the Spurs remain resistant to trades. if reconciliation talks don’t go well with Leonard, San Antonio has time to reconsider that stance.”

While the Celtics would be more than glad to stay the course with two of the most promising forwards in the league, as well as the reintegration of their two superstars in Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving, acquiring a forward the likes of Leonard must be considered.

Leonard led the Spurs to a 2014 championship behind a stellar NBA Finals performance, and he has also been named NBA Defensive Player of the Year two times in his career. His style of play would also mesh well with a coach like Brad Stevens, who led a roster without Irving and Hayward to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

If the Celtics are to make an offer for Leonard, Wojnarowski warns that they must do so in a similarly cautious fashion as the trade that landed them Irving last summer. General manager Danny Ainge will likely keep young stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum should Leonard not make it clear he plans to resign.

“Boston has the most appealing assets: starry young players and Sacramento’s No. 1-protected 2019 first-round pick. could still consider Leonard on a distressed, discounted deal — the way it secured Irving last summer — but that has become a far less likely scenario than keeping its young core.”

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