The NBA season is getting really interesting with just a few weeks remaining until the playoffs, making each game more and more meaningful. With competitive races in both the Eastern and Western Conferences, there are a number of injuries to key players on some of the league's best teams - namely Kawhi Leonard - that could affect their chances of winning an NBA title. Here are all the latest NBA news & rumors you need to know:
Spurs still expected to offer "super-max" extension to Kawhi Leonard
Despite the ongoing drama between Leonard and the San Antonio Spurs, the team is still expected to offer him the "super-max" extension this summer, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
It’s expected the club will offer the forward a max contract extension worth more than $200 million over the summer.
Leonard has reportedly been medically cleared to play and is choosing to sit out, causing some friction between himself and the team. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said last month that he would be "surprised" if Leonard played again this season and a players-only meeting was held this week to implore the All-Star to return.
Leonard, who averaged 25.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game last season, will be an unrestricted free agent in 2019.
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Suns beginning coaching search
The Phoenix Suns fired head coach Earl Watson three games into the season with assistant Jay Triano taking over as the interim head coach for the remainder of the year, but Triano isn't expected to keep the job moving forward.
Suns general manager Ryan McDonough told Wojnarowski that the team is already starting their search for a new head coach.
"This is going to be a competitive marketplace," McDonough told ESPN. "There are three of us (Phoenix, Milwaukee and Memphis) with interim coaches in place, and we want to be able to hit the ground running. We don't want to have to wait until the end of the regular season for candidates who aren't with teams now. At the end of the regular season, we'll be able to talk with coaches on non-playoff teams and we'll need to work with playoff teams on what their approach will be on contacting (assistant) coaches still in the postseason."
Phoenix is 19-53 on the season, which is tied with the Memphis Grizzlies for the worst record in the league.
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Robert Williams declares for NBA Draft
Texas A&M big man Robert Williams announced that he is declaring for the NBA Draft following the Aggies' loss to Michigan in the Sweet 16 last night.
"It's just a blessing," Williams said. "Every kid dreams of going pro in a sport they love. Just knowing I have a chance, an opportunity to receive that blessing is great."
Williams, a projected lottery pick, averaged 10.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game this season.
IMG Academy's Anfernee Simons, USC's Chimezie Metu, and Dayton's Kostas Antetokoumnpo also declared for the draft yesterday.
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