Clippers: 4 threats that could sign Kawhi Leonard this offseason
By Evan Desai
Rumors are flying about Kawhi Leonard and where he may or may not end up if he chooses to not pick up his player option and stay with the Clippers.
The Clippers would be an excellent fit for him next year and beyond, however there are a few other impressive options that will be making a push for Leonard this offseason.
While there are many reasons as to why these fits aren’t as good of options for Kawhi than the Clippers are, it’s still worth investigating which teams are also Kawhi suitors and why they are a threat.
No. 1 threat that could sign Kawhi Leonard away from the LA Clippers this offseason: The Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks have now been completely dismantled by Kawhi Leonard and the LA Clippers.
After losing to the Clippers in back-to-back postseason first round series, they parted ways with both their head coach and general manager.
They’re starting fresh, and want a new superstar to go along with Luka Doncic. There aren’t a ton of superstars available this offseason due to many signing extensions during the year.
Kawhi is available, and they want to attack him as their number one prized possession.
The Kristaps Porzingis trade has totally failed, and it also resulted in the Mavs not having any first round draft picks they can trade until 2025.
The trade block isn’t going well for the Mavs, so Mark Cuban wants to strike in free agency. It’s true that they are in a tough spot as far as money goes, because if they can’t trade Porzingis, they’ll have to pay him an average of $32.75 million per year in the next two years. They’ll have to pay that, a bigger contract that Doncic earned (from now being an All-NBA player twice), and then they’ll have to pay Kawhi.
That’s tough, but the Mavericks are reportedly still very interested in Leonard.