Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri expressed confidence today that his team will be able to re-sign Kawhi Leonard, telling reporters that he believes the franchise has “built a trust” with the All-NBA forward and adding that there have been positive discussions between the two sides.
Still, there will be plenty of rival suitors looking to lure Leonard back south of the border. Here are the latest rumblings on a few of those contenders:
- A meeting between Leonard and the Clippers is tentatively scheduled for July 2, Frank Isola of The Athletic hears (Twitter link). Teams technically aren’t permitted to contact free agents to set up meetings until June 29, but it won’t be surprising if some plans are in the works before then. We’ll have to wait to see if this is one of them.
- Chris Broussard of FOX Sports has heard that the Lakers won’t be in the running for Leonard, even if they can create enough cap room to offer a max or near-max contract (link via Wil Leitner of FOX Sports Radio).
- Despite rumblings that the Mavericks are confident about getting a meeting with Leonard, Mike Fisher of 247Sports.com says it’s “premature” to go that far. According to Fisher, the Mavs would love to meet with Kawhi, but “don’t know yet” if he’ll consider them.
- The Knicks remain hopeful about getting a meeting with Leonard in free agency, a source tells Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated.
lol funny @ knickerbockers thinking they’re relevant. maybe next year you can get draymond green with max money.
I’m hoping and praying Kawhi stays up North. Everything happens for a reason, K2!!!
he punched his ticket to LA way back after the 2017 playoffs my friend…don’t hold your breath…grats on the ship though.
Surprised after being about to loose their two superstar salary players in kyrie and horford that those Celtics wouldn’t be back in on leonard hearing that they didn’t make a trade with the spurs when they had all the assets to because they didn’t want only a one year trade rental
He isn’t playing for coach BRON BRON and the Lakers. I love it. The 2 extra players they need should just be BRON BRONs ego.
Read the article… well if you can read, of course! Lakers ain’t interested in him.
The Knicks are the NBA ‘s biggest joke. I watched Andre Iguodala on CNBC say nobody is signing with the Knicks. Every day the Post would print stories about how every major free agent was going to the Knicks. I said it then and now. The Knicks will sign Nobody! They are a dysfunctional franchise and have horrible management. MSG is only relevant to old New Yorkers. players today could care less about its history or should I say lack there off
Even the older NYers don’t care anymore!