NBA Trade Rumors: Could the San Antonio Spurs Really End Up Moving Kawhi Leonard This Season?
Recent rumors hint Leonard 'wants out of San Antonio'
Ever since Kawhi Leonard made his debut on the NBA's national stage, he has seemed destined to be the player who the San Antonio Spurs will lean on for the next decade or so.
His selfless style of play on offense fits in well with the team's preferred approach, and he is also one of the league's absolute best on the defensive end.
The Spurs needed a star to build around on for the post-Tim Duncan era, and it sure seems that they have their man in Leonard. However, some recent rumors are hinting that it might still be too early to suggest that the 26-year-old will spend his entire career with the team.
In a recent article, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Michael C. Wright shared some information provided by league sources who noted that "months of discord centering on elements of treatment, rehabilitation and timetables for return from a right quadriceps injury have had a chilling impact" on the relationship between Leonard and the team.
Not long after that, former NBA player and current analyst Jalen Rose went on ESPN's "First Take" and said that Leonard "wants out of San Antonio" due in part to the team's perceived inability to land "elite-level, All-NBA-caliber free agents."
Sports television personality Stephen A. Smith also shared during that segment that he had heard similar rumblings.
It is normal to hear and read stories about NBA stars wanting to leave their current teams, but that has not always been applicable to the Spurs, which is what makes this situation so interesting.
To be clear, the higher-ups in the Spurs' organization are stating that this is a non-issue, with general manager R.C. Buford telling ESPN that "there is no issue" between the franchise and Leonard.
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has addressed the matter as well. While speaking recently to members of the media, Popovich said the team's relationship with Leonard is "no different than it has been for all the time he's been here," MySanAntonio.com reported.
That there are even rumblings of tension forming between the Spurs and Leonard is notable, but it is still hard to see the two sides parting ways at this juncture.
In all likelihood, Leonard is not going to be dealt ahead of this season's trading deadline, but it is not out of the question that this story will pick up steam again during the offseason.
It is still hard to tell exactly what is going on between Leonard and the Spurs, but it seems safe to assume that teams around the league will be watching how this whole thing unfolds.