Kawhi Leonard, Lakers Will Have Free Agent Meeting

Kawhi Leonard will reportedly give the Los Angeles Lakers a meeting during free agency. The 2019 NBA Finals MVP will meet with both the Lakers and the Clippers when free agency opens, which is a surprise to some who believed he wouldn’t give the purple and gold a shot.

Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Haynes is reporting Leonard will, indeed, meet with the Lakers when free agency opens on June 30.

Yahoo Sources: Kawhi Leonard intends to meet with the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers when free agency commences. https://t.co/dYjf4oSBy1
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 27, 2019

Until the last few days, the consensus had been that Leonard was deciding between the Clippers and staying with the Toronto Raptors. Now the Lakers seem firmly in the mix.

While both of Leonard’s hometown teams will get their shot at him, Leonard will reportedly give the Raptors the last shot to woo him. After winning an NBA championship with Toronto and feeling the love from the city, it may be hard to pry him away from what the Raptors can offer him. Oh, and they are the only team that can give him a five-year, $190 million max contract.

Free agent Kawhi Leonard is expected to allow the Toronto Raptors to make the final meeting presentation among the teams visiting with him in Los Angeles next week, league sources tell ESPN. The incumbent often prefers to go last in trying to convince a player to stay with team.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 27, 2019

The 27-year-old is coming off a stellar season in which he posted career-highs in points (26.6) and rebounds (7.3).