By all accounts, Kawhi Leonard‘s next NBA contract will see him join the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers, or the Toronto Raptors.
It wasn’t so long ago that the New York Knicks, too, were thought to be in the mix to acquire the two-time Finals MVP. According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, the Knicks ultimately decided to remove themselves from contention:
“According to a source, Leonard agreed to meet with the Knicks, but not until Wednesday after finishing with the Clippers and Lakers,” Berman wrote Wednesday. “That plan was scratched by Knicks’ brass over logistics.”
Per Berman, the Knicks “…realized any chance of nabbing Leonard without [Kevin Durant] was a long shot” and decided to shift their focus from Leonard to other players they were hoping to pursue earlier in the free agency window.
The Knicks, who for much of the 2018-19 season seemed to be the most likely destination for Durant, ultimately ended up bringing in a handful of players — Reggie Bullock, Julius Randle, and Bobby Portis among them — on short-term deals.
Durant, who is expected to miss all of next season after undergoing surgery for a ruptured right Achilles tendon, made quite a splash on Sunday when it was announced that he’ll be signing with the other New York-based NBA club, the Brooklyn Nets. Big-name free agents Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan will join him.
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