LeBron James is now a member of the Los Angeles Lakers and rumors are running rampant regarding Kawhi Leonard and his desire to join him. Kawhi Leonard is focused on playing for the Lakers, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting via Twitter.
Kawhi Leonard has told those closest to him that he wants to play with LeBron James on the Lakers. A trade with the San Antonio Spurs must take place in order for Leonard's wish to come to fruition. While some doubt that the Spurs are willing to become trading partners with the Lakers, it may come down to which team offers the best return.
On paper, the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia Sixers can offer a massive trade package for Kawhi Leonard. Both teams run the risk of losing Kawhi Leonard for nothing next summer. For that reason alone it is understandable that they do not want to mortgage their future. Leonard's free agency status puts the clamps on things for any team going forward.
The Spurs' asking price for Kawhi Leonard is yet to be known. It could take the majority of the Lakers' young talent to make a Kawhi Leonard trade work. There are some rumors surrounding what the Spurs counter-proposal for Leonard was to the Sixers. It was a staggering counter-offer in the tweet below that likely made the Sixers pause.