Kawhi Leonard’s disappearance from basketball really is one of the great mysteries of our time.
And with no one able to figure out what the hell is going on in San Antonio, we have enlisted the help of our friends at SportsBettingDime.com to figure out where he’ll end up next.
According to the site’s editor and resident expert Sascha Paruk – who is about as plugged into the basketball world and Russell Westbrook is to the fashion world – the most likely destination for Leonard is Los Angeles.
But perhaps not the LA ball club that first springs to mind.
“Those close to Leonard are confident that he wants to play in LA before his career is over,” Paruk said. “And Kawhi doesn’t have a no-trade clause, so the Spurs will be able to work out a more favourable deal with a team that is confident it can re-sign him.”
Paruk believes the Clippers are a more likely destination than the Lakers for a number of reasons:
1. The Clippers have two lottery picks in this year’s draft, while the Lakers have none.
2. There’s a good chance the Lakers will be preoccupied with trying to sign LeBron James and/or Paul George.
3. The Clippers seem to be more aggressive and motivated in their pursuit of Kawhi at this point.
It could well be that first point which proves to be particularly key.
“Unless the Spurs are intensely interested in young Lakers like Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma, the Clippers will likely be able to put together the more attractive trade package for an ageing San Antonio team that is headed for something of a rebuild,” Paruk added.
You heard it here first, folks.
Don’t be at all surprised if Leonard ends up in the red, white and blue.