Kawhi has always had his heart set on the West Coast.
Kawhi Leonard was traded to the Toronto Raptors last summer in a blockbuster trade that saw DeMar DeRozan go to the San Antonio Spurs. While Leonard has been a great player for the Raptors, there have been rumors swirling all season that he will eventually leave the team when he becomes a free agent in the Summer. These rumors were brought up once again by NBA reporter Brian Windhorst during an appearance on ESPN’s “The Jump.”
“It’s not because anything the Raptors did. It’s just that Kawhi kind wants to be on the West Coast,” Windhorst explained. “The difficulty is that Kawhi doesn’t really articulate his feelings to people. … It’s difficult to read. It’s difficult for them to read, who have spent every day obsessing about it for months.”
Leonard has remained consistent in saying that he’s committed to the Raptors right now and their pursuit a championship. The team is in their first-round matchup against the Orlando Magic and they are one the favorites to come out the East.
“As long as I have on a jersey I want to play basketball,” Leonard explained to reporters in September. “I came here with an open mind. I want to do great things so I’m going to make sure that I put my full effort on the court each and every night.”
For now, the Clippers are the team many people believe Kawhi will end up with.