Los Angeles Lakers: How Kevin Durant’s free agency impacts the team
Durant To Clippers Improves Lakers Chances Of Landing Kawhi Leonard
The most intriguing of the three aforementioned prospective destinations for Kevin Durant is the Clippers. First off, it would imply a battle for the best team in Los Angeles, but also for the best player.
The Lakers-Clippers rivalry would reach an all-time high climax, and the city of Los Angeles would benefit tremendously as a result. But the phenomenon that intrigues me most is how it would increase the Lakers’ chances of landing Kawhi Leonard.
Leonard is peaking in Toronto, having just led them to the NBA Finals. Kawhi has clearly piloted the magnificent Raptors playoff run, which has put him in the discussion of being seriously considered the best basketball player in the world.
Kawhi Leonard has arguably the most peculiar and therefore unpredictable personality in sports. So what Leonard ultimately decides, may not objectively make the most sense. Kawhi wants to be in Los Angeles, and that’s been proven on multiple occasions. I can’t imagine, however, that he’ll be hellbent on moving to Los Angeles considering all that’s taken place over the duration of this season with him in Toronto.
Colin Cowherd said that if the Raptors won the championship this season, Kawhi would have an easier time leaving, but I don’t believe that to make much sense. I do think, however, that Leonard will strongly consider remaining a Raptor for the foreseeable future because if he’s human just a little bit, leaving Toronto after leading the franchise to it’s first NBA Finals and possibly first ever championship, would be extremely difficult.
If Leonard does pursue his desire to play in Los Angeles, he’ll have two options to choose from; the Lakers and the Clippers. Kawhi has to love being the obvious leader of his organization, which could be evident from his most emotional public showing after hitting the Game 7 buzzer-beater to eliminate the Sixers.
Therefore, he has to be intrigued by being the best player on a truly competitive team. He didn’t like it enough to remain a Spur, so leaving Toronto where he is just that for anywhere else, wouldn’t be the biggest surprise.
If Durant signed with the Clippers, I see no way of Kawhi doing so as well. If he’s moving to Los Angeles and is interested in being the best player on a winning team, why join with the lesser LA team where you’ll likely be considered the second best player on the team?
If KD becomes a Clipper, Kawhi’s best Los Angeles option is with the Lakers. He’s arguably better than LeBron James at this point in their careers and would be signing with one of the most historic organization’s in sports, as opposed to their counterpart, who has never advanced past the second round of the playoffs. Lakers fans should pray for Durant to sign with the Clippers.