Getty Kawhi Leonard of the Toronto Raptors speaks with the media following his teams victory over the Golden State Warriors.
With free agency right around the corner, Kawhi Leonard – the crown jewel of the free agency class – is still one of the class’s biggest unknowns. Seemingly choosing between the Raptors, Lakers, and Clippers, nobody has much of a read on just what Kawhi plans to do. Compare that to fellow free agent Kyrie Irving – who the NBA world seems convinced will be taking his talents to Brooklyn given the mounting evidence in that corner.
Leonard would be a perfect fit alongside James and Davis as he can dominate both on and off the ball while having an unrivaled impact on the defensive side of the ball.
Kawhi Leonard ‘Seriously Considering’ Lakers in Free Agency, Says Analyst
“I have received the word that Kawhi Leonard is seriously considering the Los Angeles Lakers.”
Despite the lack of information coming out on the Kawhi Leonard front, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith reported that Leonard is “seriously considering” the Lakers. This is a far cry from what most other analysts have been saying over the past few weeks as most have brushed off the notion of Leonard to the Lakers for a considerable amount of time now.
Toronto, the team where he just won a title, is expected to put the full-court press on Leonard in order to get him to stay. He already has signed a deal with a Canadian Airline and Raptors fans have offered him free food and even a condo if he decides to stay in Toronto.
While it is unknown if that will be enough to entice the notoriously unflappable Leonard, it should certainly help bolster the strong case Toronto already has.
Kawhi Leonard’s Potential Fit on the Lakers
As mentioned briefly above, Kawhi would be a perfect fit on the Lakers. Able to function as a secondary ball-handler and attacker who can also step back and reliably space the floor, Leonard’s versatility gives the offense an entirely different look and gives them even more ways to overcome an opposing defense.
From a defensive perspective, Leonard and Davis would create arguably the best 1-2 defensive punch in NBA history. LeBron isn’t a bad defender (when he cares) either, so with his two fellow superstars dominating that side of the basketball, expect the King to step up and make a few more plays than we might be accustomed to seeing on that side of the ball.
While the Lakers wouldn’t have much money to build out the remainder of their roster if they sign Kawhi, given the mass quantity of elite talent hitting the free agency market and limited dollars to go around, there should be some solid bargain players available to help round out the roster.