Lakers Rumors: Spurs unlikely to trade Kawhi Leonard to Los Angeles

Recent Lakers rumors have been about the possibility of Los Angeles trading for Kawhi Leonard. However, would the Spurs deal him to a rival?

With the NBA Playoffs in full swing, recent Lakers rumors have been about what the team will be doing this offseason. Since the Lakers have the cap space to sign multiple star players, expectations.

Recently, the drama between Kawhi Leonard and the San Antonio Spurs has resulted in him being a player that could be traded this offseason. With a reported desire to play in Los Angeles, the Lakers have been listed as a potential trade partner for the Spurs. However, a recent report has shot down those rumors to a degree.

Recently, Mark Heisler of the Orange County Register reported that Leonard likely won’t be traded to the Lakers. Here’s what he had to say.

"“It’s one of Popovich’s cardinal rules not to help Western Conference rivals, much less one with the tradition and resources of the Lakers.”"

Seeing the Spurs not being willing to trade a player like Kawhi inside the conference certainly makes a lot of sense. When healthy, Leonard is one of the best players in the NBA, and if you are actually going to be trading a player of his caliber, you certainly don’t want to send him to a team that you would have to face often.

While Kawhi would be a great addition to the Lakers, trading for him would be a bold decision. The asking price would surely be high for Leonard, and if he truly wants to play for the Lakers, they could always just want until he is a free agent.

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It will be very interesting to see what happens with the Leonard situation this offseason, as there is no guarantee that he will even be traded. In all likelihood, the Spurs will try and fix what appears to be a broken relationship. Depending on how things go this offseason for the Lakers, they might check in with the Spurs on Leonard if their free agency plans fail. However, trading away young talent doesn’t seem likely.