Kawhi Leonard Was 'Very Close' to Signing with Lakers or Raptors over Clippers

Two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard told ESPN's Rachel Nichols that the three-team race between the Los Angeles Clippers, L.A. Lakers and Toronto Raptors was "very close" before he eventually picked the Clips in free agency:

"I was very close," Leonard told Nichols regarding the potential of him choosing the Lakers or Raps. "Real close. But when [the Clippers] presented the opportunity of playing with [Paul George], it was easy, it was a yes. I said let's get it going."

Six-time All-Star Paul George's two-year tenure with the Oklahoma City Thunder came to an abrupt end after his trade to the Clippers. OKC never made it out of the first round in George's two years with 2016-17 NBA MVP Russell Westbrook, leading to the forward seeking change.

"This was nothing that came out of the blue; we were all on the same page," George told Nichols. "The initial plan was to give it another year, see what we could do, and I did that. We played another year, and it felt like we were just stagnant. Next thing was, let's move forward with other plans."

Leonard's one-year stint with the Toronto Raptors ended more successfully, with the five-time All-Defensive team member leading his team to its first NBA title.

However, the opportunity to join George on the Clips was too much for Leonard to pass up. Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic provided the inside story.

"The Clippers had surmised early in free agency that they likely needed a co-star to secure Leonard. They understood that Leonard, who had rested 22 games during the 2018-19 season, spawning the term 'load management,' likely needed the right teammate to help ease the burden. By Monday's meeting, time was running out before Leonard's self-imposed deadline—the end of the week—to decide his future.

"Leonard was upfront that his decision would come down to the organization he believed presented him the best competitive window for the rest of his prime. The conversation at Rivers' house centered on winning above all else—over money and geography and culture and accolades. Playing close to his home of Riverside, while a significant factor, was secondary to winning championships."

The Lakers looked like the best team for Leonard to win championships for the foreseeable future after six-time All-Star Anthony Davis was traded to L.A. to team up with four-time NBA MVP LeBron James. A new Big Three may have been unstoppable.

However, Buha and Amick explained why the Lakers didn't have as much appeal on that front.

"On a fundamental level, the idea of forming a Big Three with James and Davis didn't appeal to Leonard's core sensibilities," they wrote. "He forged his legacy taking down superteams—like the 2014 Miami Heat and the 2019 Golden State Warriors—rather than joining them."

As far as the logistics go, the Clippers had players and assets enticing enough for OKC to make a move for a co-star, as L.A. sent forward Danilo Gallinari, point guard Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, four unprotected first-round picks, one protected first-round selection and two pick swaps to the Thunder, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

That sealed the deal for the new-look Clippers, who will enter the 2019-20 season as arguably the league's top championship contender.