NBA Free Agency: Kawhi Leonard's Most Likely Free Agent Destinations

Entering the 17/18 season, Kawhi Leonard was expected to be among the leading MVP candidates. However, Leonard's season was overshadowed by injuries and a public fallout with his longtime San Antonio Spurs team.

Over the course of the regular season, Leonard played just nine times, and despite being cleared for the playoffs by Spurs medical staff, Leonard failed to feature. After seeking the opinion of his own doctors, Leonard opted to sit out of San Antonio's first-round defeat, making it an easy decision for the Spurs to trade him to the Toronto Raptors.

Since landing in Toronto, Leonard has returned to form and fitness, averaging 26.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. However, despite a successful season, Leonard's contract will expire later this summer and he has offered no hints on his future plans.

Nevertheless, Leonard's services are set to be in high demand, and here are his three most likely free agency destinations.

#3 Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers initially wanted to sign Leonard last summer, however, Gregg Popovich reportedly refused to even engage in talks with San Antonio's longtime rivals. Despite the setback, the Lakers willingly stepped away, hoping that their patience would pay off the following summer.

Leonard's temperament and playing style appear to make him a good fit alongside LeBron James, and with his addition, the Lakers would undoubtedly become an instant contender.

However, Leonard is believed to only be a backup option for LA, as the franchise has all eyes on completing a blockbuster trade for Anthony Davis. Evidently, the Lakers only have the cap room to sign one All-Star, and even if the Lakers were to miss out on Anthony, Leonard may have already signed with a rival team.

#2 Toronto Raptors

Kawhi Leonard has yet to offer the Toronto Raptors any kind of assurance that he will extend his stay with the franchise, although the team is still hopeful that they can convince their star man to remain.

The Raptors are set to finish the season with the NBA's second-best record, and aside from the Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto looks to be the most likely team to replace the Cleveland Cavaliers as the East's dominant force.

This makes an annual trip to the NBA Finals possible, and remaining in Canada will also give Leonard the opportunity to contend for an MVP award. He is also guaranteed to be the focal point of the Raptors for the duration of his stay, and Leonard is believed to have settled well in Toronto.

Ultimately, Leonard has always had eyes on a return to Los Angeles, although as we saw with Paul George last summer, an individual can quickly change his mind.

#1 LA Clippers

Due to the tremendous strength and depth of the Western Conference, a modest LA Clippers team were expected to face an 18/19 difficult season. Despite having no stars on the roster, the Clippers have operated together like a well-oiled machine, and the team has enjoyed a stellar 2019 which has yielded an unlikely playoff berth.

Despite an improbable season, the Clippers are unlikely to compete with the Warriors and Rockets during the playoffs, although next season could be a different story.

The Clippers have well over $50 million available in cap space this summer, enough room to add both Leonard and a second All-Star. As a Los Angeles native, Leonard has been heavily linked to the Clippers, with reports suggesting that the franchise is of more interest to the All-Star than the Lakers.

The potential addition of a second All-Star also signifies that Leonard would be joining a franchise with the ability to contend, and Leonard could already have one foot in LA.

Edited by Atharva Papnoi