Fansided

Report: Sixers are only East team Kawhi Leonard is interested in

By Cody Rivera

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 02: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs warms up before the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 02, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matteo Marchi/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 02: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs warms up before the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 02, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matteo Marchi/Getty Images) /
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Kawhi Leonard would prefer a Los Angeles team, but if he has to go to the East, Philadelphia is reportedly the only place he’ll consider.

It’s been over a week since LeBron James announced his intentions to join the Los Angeles Lakers, which is still the biggest news of the summer. But it’s taking a lot longer to figure out which team Kawhi Leonard will end up playing for next season.

Leonard has made it abundantly clear that he can’t wait to get the heck out of San Antonio, and the Spurs are just looking for the right trade package to deal him for. His most desirable destination would be one of the Los Angeles teams, seeing as how Leonard is an L.A. resident – preferably the Clippers now that James has taken over the Lakers half of the city.

However, if a trade can’t be worked out to send Leonard to Los Angeles, the Eastern Conference is a possibility as well. But according to ESPN’s Chris Haynes, there is only one team in the East that Leonard would interested in playing for: the Philadelphia 76ers.

“Los Angeles are his preferred destinations,” Haynes said. “He will consider Philly. That’s the only Eastern Conference team he would consider if they’re able to put a package together.”

If this is true, all those rumors about the Boston Celtics dealing for Leonard can be put to rest, as Boston wouldn’t be interested in acquiring a player who has no desire to be there. But this could be good news for Philly fans, as landing a player of Leonard’s abilities might give the Sixers a leg up on the now wide open Eastern Conference.

Leonard is a former NBA Finals MVP, winning the award at age 22 when the Spurs defeated LeBron’s Miami Heat team in the 2015 Finals. Now 27 years old, Leonard would be joining Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons as well as big man Joel Embiid, arguably the best overall player in the East.

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Considering the Sixers were swept out of the playoffs by the Celtics this past year, they could definitely use a player like Leonard to help compete with an even more loaded Boston team next season.