Rumor: LA Clippers in discussions with Raptors guard Danny Green

According to rumors, the LA Clippers and Toronto Raptors shooting guard Danny Green talked via a phone call on Sunday afternoon.

The NBA’s free agency period has officially begun, and while countless moves have already been announced by top news breakers, the LA Clippers have been completely silent. But according to rumors, they’ve just finished talking with Toronto Raptors sharpshooter Danny Green — who also happens to be a longtime teammate of Kawhi Leonard.

The information comes from Harrison D. Sanford on Twitter, who is the co-host of The Green Room, Green’s own podcast. He reported just moments ago that Green was just on the phone with the Clippers, and that more details will come later on tonight.

Now, the Clippers may genuinely be interested in signing Green alone — but if you read the tea leaves here, it seems as though there’s a bigger picture.

Leonard has spent every single year of his NBA career playing alongside Green, from San Antonio to Toronto. And while the two aren’t necessarily tied with a string, Green signing with the Clippers, or at least talking with them, could be an ideal path for the Clippers to get to Leonard.

It’s the kind of sneaky, under-the-radar move that this front office specializes in. It’s an idea that’s right in front of you, but it’s something you’d never think to consider.

Signing Green could be key to the Clippers’ pursuit of Leonard, especially if he’s seriously considering joining the Los Angeles Lakers, as has been reported. It may only seem like a little bit of leverage, but anything will be helpful for the Clippers’ odds.

Of course, if the Clippers are simply interested in signing Green for Green himself, that’s okay too. Just let me take off my tinfoil hat for a moment and I’ll tell you a bit about what he brings to the table.

Green is exactly the type of player this Clippers organization has become enamored with in recent years — he plays very hard on both ends of the floor, has good size for his position, and he’s an incredibly efficient shooter from three-point range. This past season in Toronto, Green connected on a career-high 45.5 percent of attempts from deep.

Sanford’s original tweet did note that Green still has other calls to make, and one of those teams on the other end could be the Dallas Mavericks, per reports.

If the LA Clippers are still a potential suitor for Leonard at this point, signing Green could give them the additional leverage they need to put themselves over the Lakers as a signing destination. Otherwise, his sweet shooting from range would make him a great addition to the team.