Despite the Toronto Raptors’ trade for Kawhi Leonard, the Los Angeles Lakers are still the favorites to land the former Finals MVP when he becomes a free agent next summer. However, one dark horse team may be emerging.
In an appearance Wednesday on the “Back to Back Podcast” following Leonard’s move to the Raptors, Bruce Arthur of the Toronto Star indicated that the Brooklyn Nets may be on Leonard’s radar for 2019 in addition to LA.
“One thing I was told last night is that Kawhi Leonard has already been planning out his free agency for next year, and he’s already been in contact with other star players in the league, saying, ‘Hey, where might you want to play with me? What are we looking at?’” said Arthur, per Anthony Irwin of Silver Screen and Roll. “And it wasn’t just L.A. he was talking about. Brooklyn was maybe somewhere that’ll have a ton of cap space. That’s a possibility.”
Leonard seems to want to play in a big market, and the Nets can certainly offer that. What they can’t offer though (at least right now) is a more talented roster than the Lakers with LeBron James and Co. or even the LA Clippers. But with quality young guys like D’Angelo Russell, Caris Levert, and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Brooklyn could have a long-term outlook that Leonard would find appealing, in addition to any other stars he might recruit there.
It’s also worth noting that Leonard is familiar with Nets general manager Sean Marks, who was a San Antonio Spurs assistant from 2013 to 2016 (including their 2014 championship team). We know that the former Defensive Player of the Year may not necessarily be fixated on the Lakers, so it’s not crazy to suggest that Brooklyn could actually have a fighting chance here.
