Lakers Ahead of Clippers in Kawhi Leonard Sweepstakes
By Liam McKeone
After Kevin Durant tore his Achilles in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, Kawhi Leonard became the top free agent in this year’s stacked class. Rumors are flying every which way in regards to Leonard’s upcoming decision, and the latest indicate good news for the Los Angeles Lakers, who hope to pair Leonard with LeBron James and Anthony Davis after clearing enough cap space to offer Leonard a max contract.
Marc Stein reports the Lakers have become the biggest threat outside of Canada to sign Leonard. Until recently, it had been widely accepted that if Leonard were to leave Toronto, it would only be to sign with the Clippers.
Things change fast in #thisleague: With free agency a day and change away, it's the Lakers who have convinced Las Vegas -- and an increasing number of league insiders -- that they are LA's true threat to limiting Kawhi Leonard's Raptors career to a single season. Not the Clippers
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 29, 2019
Leonard’s reportedly serious consideration of the Lakers as a landing spot has changed the landscape of what everyone thought this year’s free agency would look like. A team lead by the trio of Leonard, James, and Davis would be a super team unlike any we’ve seen in the modern era. All three can be elite two-way players, capable of locking up the best in the league while driving an offense by themselves. Even the Warriors couldn’t say that when their three stars were healthy.
The biggest question that comes along with this trio, more than anything, is health. Leonard’s quad injury that led to his departure from San Antonio has been well-documented, while Davis has struggled with injuries his whole career, and James suffered the first serious injury of his career last year. Still, it’s a risk worth taking if Leonard wants to sign on the dotted line.