Report: Kawhi Leonard tried to recruit Kyrie Irving during free agency

Kawhi Leonard certainly tried everything he could to being the league’s top free agents with him to his ultimate destination.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported Monday that, in addition to his successful efforts to recruit Paul George and an unsuccessful bid to recruit Kevin Durant, Leonard tried to talk guard Kyrie Irving into playing on the same team with him.

We already knew that Leonard called Durant and tried to convince him to join him on the Los Angeles Clippers. By that point, however, Durant had settled on going to the Brooklyn Nets with Irving and ultimately turned down Leonard’s overtures. While the timing is unclear, it’s fair to think that Leonard probably got a similar response from Irving, considering the two newest Nets were apparently plotting their move to Brooklyn long before it officially happened.

Nobody could accuse Leonard of lacking ambition. He was undeterred after swinging and missing twice, and ultimately connected when he got a hold of George. He only needed to win over one superstar to join him in Los Angeles, and it appears that the third time was the charm.