Knicks expected to pursue Kawhi Leonard, other superstars

by Chris Crouse

July 1, 2021

Reading Time: 3 mins read

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, the Knicks are among the teams that are expected to make a run at the former Finals MVP, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer relays.

New York is expected to pursue Leonard as well as any superstar that becomes available, including Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal (sources maintain to FortyEightMinutes that Beal is not available). The franchise is willing to give up RJ Barrett as part of a potential package for a star, as Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News recently reported.

The Knicks also have eyes for several point guards via trade should they not be able to land a superstar. The front office is monitoring the respective situations of Collin Sexton, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Terry Rozier. While the addition of any of the aforementioned names would make for a great offseason in New York, perhaps no player would raise their ceiling as much as Leonard.

Knicks Face Competition for Leonard

The Mavericks and Heat are among the teams that will “make a hard push” to acquire Leonard. 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.