Kawhi Leonard wants out of San Antonio ahead of the NBA Draft. Apparently, the Spurs star has his eyes on Los Angeles even after meeting with coach Gregg Popovich earlier this week in San Diego. He's also telling people he wants to end up in Los Angeles, preferably with the Lakers over the Clippers.
The Clippers are offering their first round picks and Los Angeles will offer some combination of their young assets. However, is either Los Angeles team even the best spot for Kawhi?
Of course, it all depends on the reports that you believe. Some say the Spurs are not shopping Kawhi but are listening to offers. Still, his sister said he demanded a trade and other reports said he did so directly to Pop. Leonard is apparently mad that Popovich and Tony Parker did not do more to support him in a season where he only played 9 games due to a quad injury.
Nonetheless, the Spurs still hope to reconcile with Leonard even after the meeting. It was also reported that it is unlikely Leonard moves before July 1.
Wherever Leonard plays in 2018-19 they will get a 100 percent Kawhi. But where is the best spot for the two-time first-team NBA player to land? Here are more than five spots where Kawhi should look to land.
Honorable Mention
Golden State makes sense for almost any free agent or disgruntled superstar. Anything is possible but let's rule them out until they move some salary.
Otherwise, the Timberwolves and Thunder are not ruled out as great destinations for Kawhi either. Both were big players on the trade market last year when they traded for Jimmy Butler (Minnesota) and Paul George (Oklahoma City). Perhaps, they're willing to offer their All-Star wings with some future assets to get Kawhi.
Leonard might have the selfless ego to play with Russell Westbrook in OKC despite the 2017 MVP's ego.
Further, Minnesota might even offer Andrew Wiggins or some of their young players to put Leonard on a roster with Karl Anthony-Towns. Towns is a rising star and Leonard would form a dynamic duo with him.
Still, both the Timberwolves and Thunder play in the Western Conference which make them an unlikely trade target for the Spurs. Additionally, both teams might not want to rock the boat too much by trading for a superstar in consecutive seasons.
Both teams might also want Kawhi to commit to them long-term which Leonard is unlikely to do since he can become a free agent in 2019.
5. Cavaliers
Until LeBron James officially gets traded or signs a new deal, Cleveland is not ruled out of the Kawhi sweepstakes. Trading for Leonard could be the hail mary play the Cavs need to make to keep LeBron from bouncing via trade or free agency.
The Cavaliers can offer the No. 8 pick, Kevin Love and not a whole lot else. Unless, the Cavs want Larry Nance Jr., Jordan Clarkson, Tristan Thompson or George Hill, it is unlikely the two teams get a deal done for Leonard. A third team could come into the mix and make it much easier for Leonard to land in Cleveland.
Either way, Cleveland makes sense for Kawhi if LeBron stays there and the two want to link up. Not only do they have an easier path to the NBA Finals playing together in the East, but Kawhi becomes one of the best players in the entire conference.
Playing in the NBA Finals is almost a guarantee with Lebron in the East and an All-Star game certainly boosts Kawhi's marketability a little. These are at least a small part of why he wants out of San Antonio which makes Cleveland somewhat desirable.
4. Clippers
Kawhi Leonard went to High School in Moreno Valley and Riverside. As someone who grew up not to far from that area in the Inland Empire, growing up outside Los Angeles is weird. Spending time in suburban towns a few dozen miles away from Los Angeles is a different lifestyle than living in Los Angeles County.
Yes, there is traffic, plenty of food options, and Los Angeles transplants in Riverside County that make it feel like L.A. However, it is not L.A. and any Angelino can tell you that by the surplus of parking and family lifestyles that dominate areas like Moreno Valley and Riverside.
That said, some people outside Los Angeles envy the busy city lifestyle and others reject it. I don't know Kawhi so I can't say where he falls on the spectrum. However, this is important to remember when you consider that Leonard wants to come to Los Angeles.
Some may bill it as a homecoming, but Southern California is more complicated than that. Remember, Kawhi Leonard played his college ball at San Diego, which is another Southern California with a different lifestyle than L.A. Hence, does Kawhi value Los Angeles so much that he is willing to go to the Clippers?
The Lakers make sense because they have cap space and young talent to offer the Spurs. The Clippers don't have a ton of cap flexibility or youth. DeAndre Jordan, Avery Bradley and Austin Rivers can all hit the open market. The Clippers best assets are the No. 12 and No. 13 picks in this year's draft.
After that, you're talking about Kawhi playing with some combination of Tobias Harris, Danilo Gallinari, Lou Williams, Mantrezl Harrell and Milos Teodosic. Granted, some of those players would go to the Spurs as salary fillers.
Nonetheless, that is far from the best basketball roster Leonard could land with. Even with Kawhi with the Clippers, it is unclear if L.A. would be better team than the Spurs.
3. Lakers
Sometimes, the thing you want isn't always the best for you. Reports that the Lakers are at the top of Kawhi's list, but don't let that distract you from the fact that the Lakers still need to put together a trade for him. Los Angeles can offer young players like Lonzo Ball, Brandan Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart and salary filler. Combined, that might be enough to get Leonard, but what does that leave Kawhi left to play with in the Lakers?
Of course, Kawhi and the Lakers are banking on a marquee free agent like LeBron James landing with the Lakers. Los Angeles is the favorites even according to Chris Paul. That said, reports say that the Spurs will pass on Lonzo Ball in a trade.
So is Lonzo, Kawhi, LeBron and possibly Paul George enough to win the Western Conference?
There's a chance that George might not even come to Los Angeles or become a free agent. George might re-sign with the Thunder which leaves Kawhi, Lonzo, LeBron and a cast of veteran minimum contracts left for the Lakers. Again, is that enough to beat the Rockets or the Warriors?
Then again, if Leonard and LeBron want to win a ring they're gonna have to beat either of those teams at some point. Maybe, they're comfortable playing the inevitable earlier. Plus, Leonard comes for San Antonio a few games a year. He also gets to play in the city and for the team he grew up watching.
2. 76ers
All of a sudden, the Philadelphia 76ers are a premiere trade free agency destination. They have a young and talented roster featuring Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid which should put them on Kawhi's radar. Philly also has Robert Covington, Markelle Fultz, Richaun Homes and Dario Saric who have flashed enough promise to have good trade value. Plus, they got the No. 10 pick from the Lakers and their own pick this year.
Some combination of that will be enough to put Kawhi on the 76ers with Embiid and Simmons. Playing with young and innovative bigs like Embiid and Simmons should help Kawhi perserve his career and entice him to sign with Philly long-term. Plus, Leonard gives the 76ers one of the best rosters in the East and keeps him away from conference rivals like the Celtics and Cavaliers.
Not to mention, Kawhi going to the Eastern Conference makes him one of the best and most marketable players in the entire conference. Added, if he and the young 76ers brought a championship home the city would go crazy much like they did for the Eagles earlier this year. Tell me that isn't a great city to play and win in.
Philly offers a combination of big city, young talent and an easier path to the NBA finals which makes it a top landing spot for Leonard. While the Lakers can offer a hometown appeal and cap space, they can't offer a core of young talent after they get Kawhi like Philly can.
1. Boston
We all know the Eastern Conference offers the path for least resistance to the NBA Finals. Boston offers Leonard a great shot at the NBA playoffs via the Eastern conference. Besides that, the Spurs would be more comfortable dealing Kawhi outside of their conference. This might allow Boston to keep some of their assets to surround Leonard with a contending NBA team.
Few teams can offer what the Spurs can for Leonard. The Celtics can send San Antonio an All-Star in Kyrie Irving or Gordon Hayward along with young talent like Terry Rozier, Jason Tatum or Jaylen Brown. Plus, they have draft capitol in the next two NBA drafts that might further entice the Spurs.
Boston offers a variety of packages and combinations that will appeal to the Spurs, but that is a testament to their overall roster. Kawhi could end up in Boston without the Celtics sacrificing all these valuable trade pieces. Surround Kawhi with some combination of Kyrie, Hayward, Tatum, Brown, Rozier and Al Horford is more than enough to get out of the Eastern Conference. This is especially true since the Celtics were a game away with only Horford as the only healthy All-Star.
Not to mention, the Celtics offer an opportunity that neither teams in L.A. do. The path to the NBA Championship is a lot easier in Boston because you only have to play one Western Conference juggernaut instead of potentially playing both the Rockets and Spurs if Leonard goes to L.A. They also offer the best roster even if they have to pay a king's ransom to get the 2014 NBA Finals MVP.
Of course, Kawhi landing on the Celtics all depends on Boston being willing to pickup the phone and move some of those assets to mixup the great core they already have in tact.
Will Kawhi Leonard get traded?
Ultimately, the Spurs might still be among the best landing spots for Kawhi. Not only is their roster built around him already but they offer a championship coach which not a lot of teams out there can say. However, it is unclear if they can mend their relationship.
It is unknown if the Spurs can get back on the same page with Leonard. If not, it is just as unclear where Leonard will land but there will be a ton of teams trying to acquire the wing who averages 16.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists for his career.
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