Lakers trading for Kawhi Leonard makes them LeBron James favorites
If the Los Angeles Lakers are able to acquire Kawhi Leonard from the San Antonio Spurs, they become prohibitive favorites for LeBron James.
On Friday, the NBA shifted in an instant. Word leaked out that Kawhi Leonard wants out of San Antonio, demanding to be traded by the Spurs. Leonard has additionally been reported to want a deal that sends him to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Should a deal be reached, and it remains a significant if — the Lakers would find themselves in the catbird seat for LeBron James’ services. At the moment, Los Angeles is in the running for James, somewhere in the group that includes the Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers and Houston Rockets. However, the acquisition of a top-end player the likes of Leonard? Now we’re talking.
Leonard, 26, has seen his statistics rise every year until an injury-plagued 2017-18. Last season, the former San Diego State star poured in 25.5 points and grabbed 5.8 rebounds per game while playing elite defense, earning a spot on the NBA’s First-Team for the second consecutive year. Leonard is also a two-time All Star, two-time Defensive Player of the Year and a Finals MVP, helping to vanquish LeBron and the Miami Heat back in 2014.
With James set to become a free agent on July 1, this declaration seems to be setting the wheels in motion. The Lakers are always a hot destination, and James could cause a seismic shift in the league’s appearance once more should he create a superteam in Los Angeles.
For the Lakers to acquire Leonard, they would likely have to send some combination of Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and draft picks to San Antonio. Perhaps Brandon Ingram would also be included in a trade, with a player like Channing Frye going as well to help smooth over the financial component.
It remains unknown how much the Lakers would be willing to part with, and it could be less than expected considering Leonard’s injury history. While only 26, Leonard has never played in 75 games in a season, and last year participated in nine.
Next: 30 best shots in NBA playoffs history
All that said, Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka would likely move heaven and earth if they know the acquisition of Leonard means the arrival of James. With Leonard in house, Los Angeles could likely clear enough space to bring in both Paul George and James, giving the Lakers the best chance of any team to dethrone the Golden State Warriors.
There are still a bevy pf moving parts to sort through, but the Lakers appear to be moving in the right direction toward contention … and LeBron.