A new report indicates that Kawhi Leonard has already met with the two teams that are battling furiously to recruit him away from the Toronto Raptors: the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers.
Kawhi Leonard has completed both his meetings with the #Lakers and #Clippers, a league source tells ESPN. He is also meeting with the #Raptors today. The rest of the basketball world awaits Leonard’s decision…
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) July 2, 2019
Leonard, a native of Los Angeles, had been rumored last month to be favoring the Clippers. However, within the past week, the Lakers have surged into contention in the high-stakes sweepstakes for the reigning NBA Finals MVP.
In his one season with the Raptors, Leonard helped change the fortunes of a team that had never before won an NBA championship. All throughout the postseason, he improved his free-agency chances with outstanding play, which was capped by the dethroning of the two-time champion Golden State Warriors.
Such a performance also wiped away any health concerns about Leonard, who missed almost all of the 2017-18 campaign, when he was a member of the San Antonio Spurs.
In the buildup to free agency, Leonard reportedly indicated that he would meet last with the Raptors. However, he also appears to not be in a rush to make a final decision, which could mean that all three teams will sit anxiously until the final decision is made.
Leonard’s decision will have financial ramifications, since he would be able to get a five-year, $190 million max deal from the Raptors. That’s in contrast to the four-year, $141 million max deal the Lakers and Clippers can offer. Playing in his hometown might come at a small price for Leonard, but it appears that he’s prepared for that possibility.
