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The Los Angeles Lakers have gone from aggressively pursuing San Antonio Spurs star forward Kawhi Leonard to reportedly letting go of the rope, no longer willing to tug at this potential trade after securing a long-term commitment from LeBron James.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the feeling around the Lakers front office is to avoid pointlessly sacrificing assets for a player that is determined to become a Laker one way or another.
“The Lakers feel like ‘we're not gonna gut our roster of young players and assets for a player we think we can get in free agency next summer, who says he wants to come play here,” Wojnarowski told SportsCenter anchor Michael Eaves on Thursday.
The Lakers infamously took the same position last summer, slowing the wagons on then-Indiana Pacers forward Paul George, who was later traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder and recently re-signed with them for four years at $137 million.
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This gamble could prove costly in a similar way, as teams like the L.A. Clippers and the New York Knicks are carving up enough cap space to make a run for Leonard in 2019 and potentially come away with him after the Lakers took this passive approach.
George said during his ESPN Free Agency Special that he wanted to play in his hometown of Los Angeles, but “the Lakers didn't grab me” — a phrase that struck a chord, thinking of how different it all could have been if he was wearing purple and gold by now.
The Spurs have considered most trade offers “flat-out unacceptable” and could very likely keep Leonard until the All-Star break if no suitable offers come around. The Lakers have taken Kyle Kuzma off the table for any negotiations, further reducing chances that a deal could go through.
As George proved, a lot can change in a year — and while Leonard has the intent to become a Laker, it's not a sure-fire thing that he will feel the same way at the end of next season.
