NBA Daily: The Kawhi Leonard Sweepstakes is On

Kawhi Leonard wants out.

Kawhi Leonard wants out from the San Antonio Spurs, league sources tell Yahoo.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 15, 2018

Frustrated with the San Antonio Spurs, Leonard is forcing their hand. And, in an offseason already flush with available talent, the two-time Defensive Player of the Year has just penciled himself near the top of every team’s shopping list.

As the Spurs move forward, they will have a bevy of suitors to consider. Which teams can offer them the best package for their two-way superstar?

Los Angeles Lakers

Kawhi Leonard is reportedly interested in heading to Los Angeles, according to Chris Haynes of ESPN.

Whether they involve Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma or some combination of the three, the Los Angeles Lakers have a stable of quality, high-upside talent to provide in any trade scenario. The Spurs could take them in an effort to accelerate a mini-rebuild while trying to maximize Head Coach Gregg Popovich and retain relevancy in the Western Conference.

Leonard, more so than the aforementioned kids, provides a huge incentive for the likes of LeBron James and Paul George to consider donning the purple and gold next season as well. If the ultimate goal is a super-trio of James, George and Kawhi, the Lakers almost have to make a play for him.

While the Spurs won’t want to help any other team improve, especially one in-conference, they may not get a better offer if Leonard has his heart set on the Lakers come 2019.

Los Angeles Clippers

Like the Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers also hold Leonard’s attention according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. They don’t have the glitz, glamor and high-upside talent of their Los Angeles contemporaries, but the Clippers present an interesting trade partner with the combination of veterans and draft capital that they possess.

The Clippers hold Nos. 12 and 13 overall in next week’s NBA Draft. While those two picks alone likely aren’t enough, pairing them alongside potential on-the-block veterans — Tobias Harris, DeAndre Jordan, Danilo Gallinari and others — could put the Clippers in the conversation. And, while it is unknown if Leonard’s camp will assure teams of him re-signing long-term, the Clippers have one of the best executives in the league, Jerry West, to hang their hat on in negotiations.

For the Spurs, acquiring the 12th and 13th overall picks allows them to quickly add talent through the draft (whether they choose to use the picks or package them to move up) while the veterans allow them to remain competitive in the brutal Western Conference.

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics don’t need to trade for Kawhi Leonard. The team that found themselves minutes from the NBA Finals without Kyrie Irving or Gordon Hayward playing a single minute in the postseason will, health permitting, be a bonafide contender next season and for the foreseeable future.

Still, Danny Ainge and Co. have shown that, if they have the means to improve their team, they will do so, regardless of the risk.

Again, the Celtics don’t necessarily need Leonard to compete for a title. However, they are in a unique position; not only do the Celtics have the assets to acquire Leonard but have the ability to make the BEST offer for the superstar wing, should they be so inclined. A combination of high-upside draft capital and ascending players — Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and others — on cheap, rookie contracts would certainly be appealing to San Antonio. Plus, shipping Leonard to Boston gets him out of the Western Conference, another benefit for the Spurs.

While it may hurt Boston fans to see the likes of Tatum and Brown leave town, a potential foursome of Irving, Hayward, Leonard and Al Horford could be devastating as well and, perhaps, even the answer to the Golden State Warriors’ Hamptons 5.

Philadelphia 76ers

While the Philadelphia 76ers could certainly use a General Manager right about now, having Head Coach and former San Antonio assistant Brett Brown running the show in the interim isn’t the worst thing in the world.

The 76ers have been connected to James and George since their elimination from the postseason, but Leonard may be a better fit than both. Leonard is a superior defender to George and, unlike James, affords Ben Simmons the opportunity to remain the primary ball handler on offense.

Philadelphia, like Boston, also has the added benefit of residing in the Eastern Conference.

After the departure of Bryan Colangelo and a strange rookie season, the 76ers could be willing to part with Markelle Fultz in addition to other players or picks in order to add a player of Leonard’s caliber as well. If anyone could remedy what ailed the former No. 1 Overall Pick’s shot, it would be the Spurs own Chip Engelland, one of the best shooting coaches in the NBA.

Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns have been stuck in a perpetual rebuild for quite some time. While they have the assets to get a deal done, would they be willing to dangle the No. 1 overall pick for Leonard?

Perhaps.

Back in May, Phoenix GM Ryan McDonough told Wojnarowski that the Suns were “open” to moving the No. 1 pick and that there were “a few players” that the team would consider trading the pick for. While the team has since come out and said that they will likely keep the pick, anything can happen in the NBA and a proven commodity like Leonard doesn’t become available all too often.

This scenario can be a win-win for both teams. The Suns add a Most Valuable Player candidate to their roster alongside budding star Devin Booker and high-upside swingman Josh Jackson. Meanwhile, San Antonio has the chance to bring in a new franchise player in addition to anyone else the Suns send their way — Marquiss Chriss, Dragan Bender, etc.

The 2018 Offseason had already planned to be an eventful one. Now, with the Leonard-Lottery in full swing, it has the potential to change the NBA landscape.