Lakers Rumors: Kawhi Leonard focused on Clippers and Raptors

Recent Lakers rumors are that Kawhi Leonard is only focused on playing for the Los Angeles Clippers or Toronto Raptors.

With the start of NBA free agency almost here, there has been no shortage of Lakers rumors about who the team will be pursuing.

Since the Lakers have agreed to a deal that will be bringing Anthony Davis to Los Angeles, the Lakers likely won’t have a full max spot open to give out to a free agent. While the amount of cap space the Lakers will have is still up in the air, the Lakers will have some flexibility.

After winning the NBA Finals MVP, the best free agent available this offseason is Kawhi Leonard. While the Lakers would obviously love to add Leonard, they likely won’t be in the running for his services.

Here’s what Adrian Wojnarowski said on ESPN’s Get Up with text via Anthony Irwin of SilverScreenAndRoll.com.

"“The reality is that Kawhi Leonard is focused on Los Angeles, but it’s the Clippers, not the Lakers. No. 1, they don’t have the money to sign him, and two, the idea of him being a third wheel on a team (that is) trying to create a superteam, that has not been Kawhi’s M.O. The Clippers are poised to be able to lure him from Toronto, this will be a Raptors/Clippers fight.“In the end he may take meetings with more teams, it’s not even certain he’d even take a meeting with the Lakers right now.”"

With the Lakers having both Anthony Davis and LeBron James, the chances of Kawhi joining them to make a superteam with the Lakers is unlikely. Leonard doesn’t give off the vibe like he wants to be anything but the top option on a team. With the star power of James and Davis, he would be a bit overshadowed.

Leonard has been keen on coming to Los Angeles, but the Clippers seems like the far more likely choice. He would instantly be the top option there, and would be the face of the franchise. Toronto will also certainly be in the mix to keep Leonard, as winning an NBA Title certainly did not hurt their chances of keeping him.

With Leonard being an unlikely choice, the Lakers will likely prioritize players like Kemba Walker, Jimmy Butler, and Kyrie Irving. Also, they might go with more of a balanced approach to spending their remaining salary.