Kawhi Leonard has been declared out for Game 1 by the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers host the Dallas Mavericks in their first round series.
Leonard has been out with inflammation in his right knee.
The Chicago Bulls offered veteran forward DeMar DeRozan a two-year contract. The deal was believed to be worth up to $40 million per season.
DeRozan is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He’s eligible to sign a three-year contract, either as an extension or in free agency. As DeRozan will be 35 years old next season, signing a deal longer than three seasons would run into the NBA’s Over-38 rule.
Bulls VP of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas recently said he knows his team can’t simply run back the same roster. But Karnisovas made it clear that Chicago want to keep DeRozan in the fold. For his part, DeRozan said he’d like to return to the Bulls, but that he also wants to win.
DeRozan averaged 24 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. He shot 48% from the field and 85% from the free throw line.
The Los Angeles Lakers will have some additional frontcourt help coming in their first round series against the Denver Nuggets. Christian Wood will be available to play for the Lakers when the series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3.
Wood hasn’t played since before the All-Star break. He had an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee in mid-March.
Prior to getting hurt, Wood had appeared in 50 games. He averaged 6.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 17.4 minutes per game off the Lakers bench.
Los Angeles lost Game 1 at Denver on Saturday. Game 2 will be played on Monday, then Game 3 will be in LA on Thursday, April 25.
