According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, a two-time NBA champion Kawhi Leonard would have likely signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency, if the L.A. Clippers didn’t land Paul George via trade:
“Leonard would have likely chosen the Lakers if the Clippers hadn’t found a way to pull off the blockbuster trade for George, league sources told Yahoo Sports,” Haynes reported.
Kawhi himself revealed that the Lakers “were close” to acquire him:
“If they didn’t want to wait for me, they didn’t have to. They had a big opportunity to sign me. [The Lakers] were close, but I ended up on the other side,” Leonard said, per Yahoo Sports.
