NBA Trade Rumors: Kawhi Leonard Should Be Russell Westbrook’s Next Sidekick, ’12UP’ Reports


Kawhi Leonard remains out for the San Antonio Spurs, and it remains to be seen if the superstar forward will ever wear the Spurs jersey again. There is still a lot of speculation about Leonard’s future in San Antonio, and he is expected to be mentioned in numerous trade rumors this summer.

And if the Spurs decide to shop Leonard, Christopher Rosvoglou of 12UP said that the Oklahoma City Thunder should be among the teams to call the Spurs about a trade. Rosvoglou believes the Thunder would be in a better position to compete for a title if they successfully acquire Leonard.

Westbrook got a lot of help this season after the Thunder traded for Paul George and Carmelo Anthony in the offseason. However, George will be a free agent and is expected to strongly consider signing with the Los Angeles Lakers. Anthony could also opt out the final season of his five-year, $124 million contract this summer.

If George decides to sign elsewhere, Westbrook would need a new sidekick to remain competitive in the stacked Western Conference. Rosvoglou said that the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player should be paired with Leonard to form a lethal combination.

Rosvoglou pointed out that the Thunder would be in a better position to beat the Golden State Warriors with Leonard on the roster. He said that the two-time All-Star did a lot of damage playing against Golden State last season, and any team would need to get through the Warriors if they want to win the title.

The Thunder need to be creative if they want to acquire Leonard in a trade with the Spurs. It is worth noting, though, that Thunder general manager Sam Presti has made a lot of surprising moves, acquiring superstars like George and Anthony for reasonable trade packages.

It is still unknown at this point if the Spurs would part ways with Leonard after this season, but Rosvoglou believes that “he might be better suited playing for another team” next season. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN previously reported that the Spurs held a players-only meeting, where Leonard’s status was tackled. However, nothing changed after the meeting because there is still no timetable for his return.

Some players tried to downplay the situation, but there is a growing speculation that his teammates are getting frustrated. Veteran point guard Tony Parker seemingly took a swipe at Leonard. Parker told Tom Orsborn of San Antonio Express-News that he had the same quad injury before but was 100 times worse.

While Parker did not directly blast Leonard, Jack Maloney of CBS Sports believes the six-time All-Star was trying to send a message. Maloney said that the 35-year-old Parker is likely making his point clear that he was able to return despite having a much worse injury, considering that he is older than Leonard.

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