Friday, ESPN reported Kawhi Leonard wants out of San Antonio. It wasn’t shocking — fans knew the relationship between Leonard and the Spurs was tenuous at best — but still came as somewhat of a surprise.
Per the report, Kawhi wants to end up in his native Los Angeles — preferably with the Lakers. But that won’t stop other teams from inquiring about his availability. Now that Kawhi is on the market, you can bet the Spurs will field offers from any and all interested parties.
Among the interested parties: the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs are trying to piece a trade offer together, per Cleveland.com’s Terry Pluto.
“The Cavs are one of several teams making calls to San Antonio about Kawhi Leonard,” Pluto writes. “It’s hard to see how they can work a deal for Leonard, who has only one year left on his contract.”
If Kawhi lands in Cleveland, it would greatly improve the Cavs’ chances to re-sign LeBron James. Check out the latest odds for LeBron’s next destination here, via BetDSI Sportsbook.
Pluto adds that teams are trying to learn more about Kawhi’s health before making a move.
Leonard missed all but nine games last season with a quadriceps injury, and his rehab from that injury was a point of contention. The Spurs’ team doctors cleared him to return to the court, but Leonard felt he was not yet ready, and he chose to work with his own medical staff in New York.
Could Cavs Make A Deal?
As Pluto noted, the Cavs would have a difficult time piecing together enough value to make a viable bid for Leonard. Cleveland does have the No. 8 pick in the upcoming draft, and that selection would all but certainly be the centerpiece of the Cavs’ offer.
Could second-year General Manager Koby Altman, however, find enough value elsewhere among Cleveland’s assets to include? All-Star forward Kevin Love would also likely be a part of the package.
