Despite everyone’s hopes and dreams for the LA Clippers to sign Kawhi Leonard in the offseason, recent reports show that the front office has began to worry.
According to Tim Daniels of Bleacher Report, “The Clippers have started to make alternative offseason plans after watching Kawhi Leonard lead the Toronto Raptors within one win of the 2019 NBA championship.” Leonard is one of the NBA’s hottest free agents this summer, and according to most polls and predictions, the LA Clippers are the front-runner to sign the superstar small forward.
However, as the Raptors have advanced further in the playoffs, the possibility of Leonard signing back with the team has gotten bigger. The simple mindset behind this idea is that NBA players want to be on winning teams, so why not stay with a team that is one win away from winning the NBA title?
After the Raptors’ 105-92 victory against the Warriors in Game 4, Joe Vardon of The Athletic reported that the Clippers still believed Leonard would listen to their free agency pitch, but are concerned that he will return to Toronto due to their postseason run. The other factor that has possibly added to the Clippers’ worries is how silent Leonard has been about which team he will end up with. Even when rumors arose about him purchasing a new home in Toronto, Leonard gave a confusing answer.
"“Didn’t happen yet. No.” -Kawhi Leonard when asked about buying property in Toronto"
The key word here is “yet.” The other key word here is “no.” We are torn and do not know what to believe regarding this evidence of Leonard staying in Toronto. Perhaps Leonard does not know what he will end up doing either, but attempting to read into Leonard’s emotions or statements is likely a waste of time. More evidence is needed to predict what will happen when it comes time for the former NBA Finals MVP to put pen to paper. We are glad to learn that the Clippers have not given up hope on targeting Leonard, but have began to look at other options.
The Finals may end tonight, which means free agency can unofficially start. All focus will be on Leonard, but it is good to know the team is covering their bases.