Kawhi Leonard can exercise his player option and hit the open market this summer and while there’s no telling whether he will leave the Clippers, rival clubs will make an attempt to pry him from the club.
The Mavericks and Heat are among the teams that will “make a hard push” to acquire Leonard, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer reports. The Knicks are also expected to get involved, as they will pursue any superstar that becomes available.
O’Connor adds that the Mavericks are seen as the most serious threat to land Leonard because of the presence of Luka Doncic and new GM Nico Harrison, who has a good relationship with the small forward dating back to their time at Nike.
Rumors of Miami’s interest in Leonard have persisted all season and it’s worth noting that Leonard attempted to recruit Jimmy Butler to come to the Clippers before they swung a trade for Paul George back in 2019. However, as FortyEightMinutes reported back in April, the franchise is remaining realistic about its pursuit of the former Finals MVP.
Leonard remaining in Los Angeles remains the most likely outcome and there are multiple routes he can take with regard to a contract, including signing a two-year deal with an option. Despite falling short in their attempt to win a championship over the past two seasons, the Clippers still are among the best positioned to win a title, something that Leonard has maintained is the ultimate goal.
