The trade chatter around San Antonio Spurs All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard has picked up once again just days ahead of the start of the NBA free agency period.
This has seen various reports with the Los Angeles Lakers being one of the primary teams leading the charge towards working out a deal to pry Leonard away from San Antonio. However, Dan Lifshatz of 98.5 The Sports Hub is reporting that the Lakers do not currently have the best offer on the table for the 27-year-old.
As of now the Lakers do NOT have the leading offer for Kawhi….a team out West does. No I don't know which team
— Dan Lifshatz (@DanLifshatz) June 29, 2018
There may not be any clarity as to what team has present the best trade package for Leonard, but that should make it evident that they have competition. Los Angeles has become the frontrunner due to the young promising talent that the franchise can offer along with the two-time Defensive Player of the Year's desire to play for the franchise.
However, the Spurs have presented the Lakers with a high asking price that includes much of their young core that includes Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart, and a couple of future first-round picks. There have also been reports that suggested that this may require the inclusion of restricted free agent Julius Randle in a sign-and-trade. What should also be noted that Los Angeles hasn't offered a trade package that includes Ingram.
This increased trade demands from the Spurs may vary because LeBron James could be headed to the Lakers, which may be hinged on the team acquiring another superstar talent before he commits to the idea of joining the mix. San Antonio also doesn't appear to be in a rush to get a deal done and wait it out to see how the free agency landscape shapes out that could impact the type of offers that are presented for Leonard. It is still a fluid situation that could see some twists and turns over the next several days.