Is a Move to the Lakers Coming up For Spurs' Kawhi Leonard?
Lakers expected to be active in free agency this summer but could also keep their cap space open for 2019
The strange saga of Kawhi Leonard and his injury has persisted throughout the 2017-18 NBA season, with the latest developments hinting that the superstar forward is no longer expected to be back with the San Antonio Spurs even for the playoffs.
For a franchise that has enjoyed stability for a long time, this situation with Leonard is something that appears different.
Now, there are questions starting to pop up regarding Leonard's future in San Antonio.
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Months from now, this could all turn out to be nothing. After all, Leonard is still signed for the 2018-19 season, and the coming summer should provide him and the members of the Spurs' brain trust time to really dive deep into what has been going on and how both sides can move forward together.
Then again, this unusual situation involving Leonard and the Spurs could just be getting started, and things could become more chaotic once the offseason gets underway.
There are no clear indicators that Leonard wants to leave the Spurs, but if the 26-year-old is considering such a move, which team could be in the running to land him?
In a recent article, Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus noted that Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Rob Pelinka of the Los Angeles Lakers' front office "would be wise to monitor the Leonard situation closely." Pincus added that Leonard could even become the "ultimate Plan B" should the Lakers fail to sign their expected free agent targets this offseason, with those expected to be Paul George and LeBron James.
There is a chance that Leonard may even become the Lakers' primary target.
Earlier this month, a report from ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski indicated that the Lakers are "recalibrating their focus" on the 2019 free agent class – the same free agent class Leonard is expected to be a part of.
A healthy Leonard can star for any team in the NBA, and it is likely that the Lakers' decision-makers would jump at the opportunity to sign him should he be open to moving in the summer of 2019.
It may seem hard to imagine now, but Leonard becoming the next Laker great cannot be ruled out.
