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Ranking the LA Clippers’ top five threats in free agency

Garrett Chorpenning|
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 04: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles past JaMychal Green #4 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on March 04, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 113-105. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 04: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles past JaMychal Green #4 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on March 04, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 113-105. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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TORONTO, ON – FEBRUARY 3: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors looks for a pass in front of Lou Williams #23 of the LA Clippers in an NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on February 3, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Raptors defeated the Clippers 121-103. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – FEBRUARY 3: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors looks for a pass in front of Lou Williams #23 of the LA Clippers in an NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on February 3, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Raptors defeated the Clippers 121-103. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

No. 1: Toronto Raptors

Projected cap room: Enough to re-sign Kawhi Leonard

The Toronto Raptors aren’t even on the radar as a free agent threat to most teams, but because the LA Clippers’ top priority this summer is signing Kawhi Leonard away from The Six, the Raps top our list.

The Clippers haven’t been shy about their admiration of Leonard, dating back to the beginning of last season. In early December, a report from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst stated that Raptors officials had noticed a Clippers employee at roughly 75 percent of their games to that point. And while we don’t exactly know the total of those they attended this season, it’s safe to assume that percentage probably didn’t fluctuate too much.

More recently, Clippers head coach and Coach of the Year candidate Doc Rivers was fined $50,000 for tampering for comments he made about Leonard on ESPN.

In a sit-down with Magic Johnson and Stephen A. Smith, Rivers compared Leonard to Michael Jordan, claiming he was “the most like Jordan that we’ve seen”.

If Leonard chooses to re-sign with the Raptors, LA’s summer plans would have to be greatly adjusted.

Of course, the Clippers do have other options. If they don’t land Leonard or Kevin Durant, some expect LA to sort of “rinse and repeat” the strategy they used last summer, when they signed a bunch of players to one-year contracts and tried to be as competitive as possible while still maximizing cap space.

With the NBA Finals coming to a close and free agency rapidly approaching, it won’t be too long before we find out what’s next for the LA Clippers.

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