Clippers Rumors: The perfect trade that can land Kawhi Leonard
By Jason Reed
Kawhi Leonard’s tenure on the San Antonio Spurs may be coming to an end. Thus, it may be time to start throwing his name in the Clippers rumors.
The Los Angeles Clippers are the most middle-of-the-road team in the NBA. While the team has enough talent to be in contention for a lower playoff seed in the next several years, there is still a massive gap between the Clippers and the title contenders. Thus, needing a way to go, the Clippers rumors will likely build this offseason.
The most intriguing of the Clippers rumors being the potential of Kawhi Leonard heading to Los Angeles. Leonard is an MVP caliber player and a top-three defensive player in the league. He makes any team instant contenders. And there is actually a viable chance he heads to LA to be a Clipper, not a Laker.
Leonard’s current situation in San Antonio is not a good one. Leonard missed all but seven games this season due to injury. However, Leonard seems to be all but healthy. Instead of returning, an outside doctor is advising Leonard to sit out.
This should not be a long-term health concern, though. Leonard is a smart guy that realizes a huge payday is likely coming his way in a few seasons. Instead of rushing back to play like Isaiah Thomas for a title run that is not a guarantee, Leonard can fully recover and save his future.
With one more season under contract until Leonard is an unrestricted free agent, the idea of the Spurs committing to Leonard on a max deal seems slim. Instead of letting him walk, then, a trade becomes the next best option.
With one year left under contract and the future unclear, the Spurs are not going to get an insane return on Leonard. However, they can still get some solid pieces to help look towards the future.