It’s not a secret that Kawhi Leonard’s relationship has soured with his San Antonio Spurs organization during what has been a lost season for the injured star. Add in a potential rift with teammates, and there’s questions about his long-term future in San Antonio.
Now, according to this report from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, several teams will look to pry the former Defensive Player of the Year from the Spurs this summer.
“I have already talked to several NBA general managers and at the end of this season, teams will call the Spurs and inquire about the availability of Kawhi Leonard,” Windhorst says. “And the fact that that would even happen is a dramatic shift that none of us could see coming.”
Despite dealing with a quad injury that has cost him all but nine games this season, Leonard would be a highly sought after figure on the trade block. He’ll be entering his Age-27 season and has improved from defensive stopper to one of the better two-way players in the game over the course of a seven-year career in San Antonio.
At 45-32 on the season, Leonard’s Spurs are still battling it out for a playoff spot out west. They currently sit as the No. 4 seed, but are just three games ahead of Denver at No. 9 in the conference. Though, there’s really nothing happening as it relates to a potential return to the court for Leonard.
Pop said there has been no word from Kawhi and his "group" in New York about his status: "I don’t know when he and his group are going to feel like they are ready to go. If I knew, he’d be here. When he and his group feel he’s ready, then he’ll be ready." #Spurs
— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) April 1, 2018
At the very least, it’s now possible Leonard has played his final game in a Spurs uniform.