Report: Thunder explored blockbuster trade with Raptors involving Westbrook, George

Kawhi Leonard Watch is officially behind us, as the reigning NBA Finals MVP has reportedly decided to return home to California and sign with the Los Angeles Clippers.

In a flurry of middle-of-the-night moves, the Clippers not only landed the biggest free agent on the market but also pulled off a major trade, adding star Paul George in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for rising Canadian star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and a bevy of first-round picks.

Now that the pieces are settled into place, details of how one of the most clandestine negotiations in league history have started to filter out, and the names involved in possible trades are nothing short of jarring.

According to reports from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Thunder GM Sam Presti spent the evening leveraging both the Clippers and Raptors’ desire for Leonard. The rumoured deal with Toronto would’ve sent George — who finished third in MVP voting last season — along with mega personality Russell Westbrook to the Raptors in exchange for a package centred around Most Improved Player Pascal Siakam.

Wojnarowski initially reported Raptors president Masai Ujiri balked at the star-laden proposal, but he clarified on Saturday that Toronto simply couldn’t match the Clippers’ offer — with or without Siakam.

With very few players under contract beyond 2020, the Raptors would’ve had some big pieces in place had the deal gone through, but filling the other 12 slots would’ve required some creative shuffling to build a future, especially if several draft picks were along for the ride. But that’s all moot now, anyways.

Ultimately, Ujiri and the Raptors were caught in the middle of a deal they weren’t comfortable making or one the Thunder were willing to accept even if they were.

More Raptors coverage from Yahoo Sports