Kawhi Leonard may not be as opposed to playing for the Toronto Raptors as initially believed, but his desires for when he becomes a free agent next summer have apparently not changed.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Leonard still prefers to sign with a Los Angeles team — either the Lakers or the Clippers — following the 2018-19 season. However, Woj has also noted that Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri remains confident he can convince Leonard to re-sign with the team.
On Monday, the Raptors reportedly hired former San Antonio Spurs staffer Jeremy Castleberry, who is a close friend of Leonard. That move was almost certainly designed to give Toronto a better chance at keeping Leonard beyond this season.
The Lakers are still considered the favorite to land Leonard, but the Clippers have also made some moves that appear to be designed to make a run at the star forward.
