In the hours leading up to the NBA Draft, teams are trying to make moves to shake up their rosters and build for the future. In the wake of Kawhi Leonard's request to be traded to Los Angeles, preferably the Lakers, there appears to be some pressure on the Silver & Black to make a move.
Just don't tell the Spurs. The team has Leonard under contract for at least one more season and has no intention of trading him to a Western Conference opponent. That report is backed up by another report Thursday that the Lakers reached out to San Antonio to discuss a trade, but were rebuffed by the Spurs.
Sources told ESPN that the conversation didn't get far, and no specific players were ever discussed in a potential trade to send Leonard to Los Angeles.
Earlier this week, Kawhi Leonard reportedly met with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to try to repair the relationship between the team and player.
Some pundits have pointed out the Lakers may not need to trade for Leonard, if his heart is set on playing for the Purple & Gold, the team he grew up watching. Leonard can become a free agent in a year, and, although the Spurs can offer him more money, reports indicate that money is not the top motivating factor for Kawhi.
From the Spurs' perspective, then, if the team can't convince Leonard to stay, they should try to get the most value in return for him in a trade in the next year.
Thursday's news that the Spurs won't negotiate with Los Angeles indicate that the Silver & Black still believe Leonard is part of the long-term plan.
Leonard, the two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, played in just nine games for the Spurs this year, averaging 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks this season. Those numbers are among the best for any player who has played in 10 games or fewer in a season.