A new team has entered the mix as a possible trade partner for the San Antonio Spurs if and when they move Kawhi Leonard, and oddsmakers think there is a very good chance Leonard ends up with said team.
Earlier in the week, Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post reported that the Toronto Raptors are gaining momentum as a potential Leonard suitor. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst then said in an appearance on SN 590 The Fan Wednesday that NBA executives believe the Raptors are one of the best positioned teams to make a play for Leonard.
With all of the rumors swirling, one popular sportsbook now has the odds of Leonard landing with the Raptors the same as the odds of the star forward beginning next season with the Spurs.
Updated odds on which team Kawhi Leonard will be on next season (@betmybookie):
Spurs +200
Raptors +200
Lakers +500
Clippers +600
76ers +800
Celtics +800
Bucks +1000
Knicks +1500
Cavaliers +2000
Rockets +2000
Nets +2500
Field +500— OddsShark (@OddsShark) July 12, 2018
Leonard can become a free agent after next season, and the general consensus seems to be that he will wind up with the Los Angeles Lakers. However, teams like Toronto could look at what happened with Paul George last year, when the Oklahoma City Thunder took a chance by trading for him even though it seemed like he would be a one-year rental. George ended up signing a max extension with the Thunder this offseason.
There have been some rumblings that Leonard may not want to play with LeBron James, so perhaps a team like the Raptors would be willing to swap stars by sending someone like DeMar DeRozan to San Antonio. If recent NBA offseasons have taught us anything, it’s to never rule out blockbuster moves.
