The San Antonio Spurs are not going to do anyone any favors when it comes to dealing with their superstar, Kawhi Leonard. San Antonio is one of the best-run organizations in the league and it’s tough to gauge what the Spurs will do with Leonard. Today we got a bit of inside info on what RC Buford will do. As of now, a report came out that regardless of the trade offers the Spurs get what Western rivals, they won’t even consider dealing him within their Conference.
Sam Amick of USA Today was the first to report the news:
“When Leonard’s desire to be traded from San Antonio to the Lakers was leaked via several media outlets last week, it was natural to wonder if he would become the star who compels James to come to LA. But in the days that followed, the Spurs wasted no time in sending this message all around the NBA: The only Western Conference team he might be playing for is theirs.”
“Fellow West teams have been told, in essence, to get lost – none more so than the Lakers, according to ESPN. As it stands, the Spurs are determined to either fix the situation or trade Leonard to an Eastern Conference team. For teams other than the Lakers, the threat of losing Leonard in free agency next summer makes the prospect of offering meaningful assets a complicated, calculated risk.”
Kawhi Leonard may want to go to the Lakers, but the Spurs hate them too much to even consider trading with them. That may not only raise the chances of the Celtics and 76ers chances, but it may reduce the cost for the acquiring team. With East teams knowing that half the league is out of the discussion, I wouldn’t expect the offers to be quite as strong. However, knowing Pop, if he doesn’t get the right deal… Kawhi probably will just sit on the bench for the season.
