NBA Notes: Cavs, Kawhi Leonard, Jazz, Brice Sensabaugh, Pelicans

Cavaliers

Just as the Cavaliers finished reshaping themselves for another run through the Eastern Conference, Toronto added Kawhi Leonard. That qualifies as an inconvenience.

As NBA on SI examined, Leonard gives Cleveland another legitimate postseason obstacle in a conference that already became considerably stronger this summer.

Leonard averaged a career-high 27.9 points last season, earned All-NBA second-team honors and appeared in 65 games. Toronto acquired him without surrendering Scottie Barnes, giving the Raptors two large, versatile forwards capable of affecting both ends.

That is precisely the sort of pairing built for playoff basketball. But it does not remove Cleveland from the contender conversation. The Cavs still have Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, while the addition of Peyton Watson should improve their size and defense on the wing.

Leonard’s health will remain the usual qualifier. Toronto must also integrate him into a new lineup and deal with the expectations created by his return.

Still, the Cavs’ margin for error just became smaller. Their road to the Finals wasn’t blocked. Somebody simply installed another toll booth.

Jazz

Brice Sensabaugh made 9 of 13 shots during clutch situations last season, which Jared Koch of NBA on SI presented as evidence that he deserves more opportunities.

It is certainly encouraging. It is also 13 shots.

Sensabaugh connected on 69.2 percent of his clutch attempts and 71.4 percent of his late-game threes across 16 appearances. The sample is far too small to prove much, but the larger body of work supports keeping him in Utah’s rotation.

The 22-year-old averaged 14.9 points in 23 minutes last season while shooting 46 percent from the field and 36.7 percent beyond the arc. Those numbers matter considerably more than a handful of shots during close games.

His challenge will be earning minutes on a crowded wing depth chart that includes Ace Bailey, Darryn Peterson, Josh Green and Josh Okogie.

Sensabaugh can score. Nobody is debating that. Whether he defends well enough to remain on the floor will probably determine his role and value before he reaches restricted free agency next summer.

The clutch numbers are fun. Becoming something close to a reliable two-way player would actually prove the point.

Pelicans

AJ Johnson appears headed to Pelicans training camp with an opportunity to show that last week’s unpopular trade produced something useful.

New Orleans sent Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy and a second-round pick to Memphis for Johnson and Taj Gibson. Gibson was waived one day later, leaving Johnson as the surviving return.

Johnson, 21, will be joining his fifth organization since Milwaukee selected him in the first round of the 2024 draft. He has averaged 4.9 points and 1.6 assists in 77 NBA games while shooting 24.5 percent from deep.

That’s the bad news. The better news is that Johnson can handle the ball, something the Pelicans may need behind Dejounte Murray and Jeremiah Fears. Jordan Poole was asked to initiate too much offense last season and is generally more effective operating away from the ball.

Johnson’s speed and playmaking give him a chance. His 160-pound frame, inconsistent finishing and poor outside shooting give New Orleans several reasons to look elsewhere.

The Pelicans have a crowded collection of guards and wings, so surviving camp is hardly guaranteed. The fact that Johnson wasn’t immediately waived suggests he will receive a legitimate look.

Now he has to show that the trade returned more than a briefly employed Taj Gibson.