The San Antonio Spurs are currently active on the market searching for a trade partner for Kawhi Leonard. After a season filled with drama and frustrations, the 27-year-old already wanted to part ways with the Spurs and reportedly preferred to be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Knowing that he will sign with them in 2019 NBA free agency, the Lakers are playing the “longer game” in trade talks, according to ESPN ‘s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne.
Aside from the Lakers, eight NBA teams have called the Spurs about Kawhi Leonard. These include the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers, Washington Wizards, and the Toronto Raptors. Unfortunately, as of now, a deal has failed to materialize as the Spurs are asking for too much for a player who could possibly be a one-year rental.
“The Spurs’ negotiating style — initially scripted conversations with teams, slow-developing — doesn’t always lend itself to a rapid acceleration of deal talks. San Antonio has been methodical in is approach to searching out a deal. Through conversations with opposing teams, it appears that the Spurs want to bring back an All-Star-caliber player, high-potential young players and draft assets in a Leonard deal. For now, the threshold on a trade is considerable and it remains unclear if the marketplace will command such a significant return.”
https://t.co/0EvOHnlwMt Why Kawhi Leonard participating in USA Basketball minicamp could benefit both Leonard and the Spurs
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Like the Lakers, the Sixers and the Celtics have a plethora of trade assets to make a deal with the Spurs. Both teams could offer a combination of an All-Star, young players, and draft assets. So far, Philadelphia has the most insight regarding Kawhi Leonard’s health status since their orthopedic surgeon Jonathan Glashow served as one of his primary outside physicians. However, the Sixers aren’t willing to go all-in for Leonard and have made Markelle Fultz, Ben Simmons, and Joel Embiid off-limits in trade talks.
The same thing goes for the Celtics who aren’t willing to include Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Al Horford in any trade package for Kawhi Leonard. As ESPN noted, the Celtics and the Sixers have offered “pick-heavy packages” which don’t look interesting for the Spurs.
Other NBA teams who expressed interest in trading for Leonard have reportedly modified their offers in fear that the disgruntled superstar will leave after the 2018-19 NBA season. As of now, a deal involving Leonard isn’t expected to take place until the Spurs lower their asking price. If they decide to keep him for another season, the Spurs will be taking a huge risk since they could lose Leonard in free agency without getting anything in return.
