As the 2018 NBA offseason continues to draw closer, there are quite a few rumors and ideas floating around about moves that could be made. One player that has become the talk of the league rumor mill is San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Leonard. It appears that he could be on his way out of town this offseason and quite a few teams will be making offers to the Spurs for his services.
According to a prediction from 247 Sports , the Boston Celtics could end up being the team that acquires Leonard from the Spurs.
Leonard to the Celtics would be a massive blockbuster. Boston is already leading the Cleveland Cavaliers 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals and are doing so without two of their best players. Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward have been forced to miss the playoffs due to injury, but cannot wait to get back on the court next season.
Boston could conceivably get Leonard from the Spurs without having to give up Irving, Hayward, Jayson Tatum, or Al Horford. A package surrounding Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier could intrigue the Spurs enough to make them pull the trigger.
Danny Ainge has been aggressive in his pursuit of another championship for the city of Boston. Going after a player like Leonard would be nothing out of the ordinary for him.
If the Celtics were able to put together a starting lineup of Irving, Hayward, Leonard, Tatum, and Horford, they would be extremely difficult to beat. That lineup might also make them serious contenders against the Golden State Warriors, who many believe are going to be the best team in the NBA for years to come.
League exec says it’s clear Kawhi Leonard wants out of San Antonio #GoSpursGo https://t.co/pX8w6e9Akl
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 10, 2018
During the 2017-18 season with the Spurs, Leonard played in just nine regular season games. There was a lot of drama surrounding his injury situation and the Spurs seemed to think that he could have played more.
Outside of the drama, Leonard ended up averaging 16.2 points per game to go along with 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Back in the 2016-17 season, however, Leonard was his usual self. He averaged 25.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game in that season.
Leonard has been connected to quite a few teams already this offseason. The Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, and even the Los Angeles Clippers have been named as potential destinations for him. Boston hasn’t been talked about a lot, but they would certainly make sense.
Expect to see the Celtics make an inquiry to the Spurs about Leonard. Whether they actually are willing to move a piece like Brown is the question. San Antonio is going to be asking for a lot in return for Leonard and it might be too much for the Celtics’ liking.
