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The Los Angeles Lakers re-engaged the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday in pursuit of a contract for NBA forward Kawhi Leonard, ESPN sources told the league.
The stakes of these discussions are enormous because the teams believe that an agreement for Leonard would likely secure a commitment to LeBron James' free agent to the Lakers. James has until late Friday night to withdraw from the final year of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Spurs wanted to find a way to repair the franchise's relationship with Leonard, but an overwhelming Lakers bid could convince San Antonio to part with his franchise star, according to league sources.
The Lakers are in no hurry to sign the NBA's 25th draft pick, striker Mo Wagner on Thursday, for his big deal, which would allow the Lakers to include their rights in a package commercial, according to league sources. Wagner could not be traded for 30 days once he signed his rookie contract.
The Lakers are also pursuing a first-round pick in the trading market, offering to wage dumping to get a choice, league sources said.
As ESPN reported earlier, there is a race to secure Leonard before James makes a decision in a free agency, especially with concern that Paul George of Oklahoma City is no longer badured of sign with the Lakers, according to league sources.
Another preference of James that could have an impact on the free agency – baduming he chooses to withdraw before Friday's deadline – is that he wants to make a quick decision in July, according to league sources.
The Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers and LA Clippers are among the teams that have made Spurs' offers for Leonard, league sources said. The Lakers, the franchise for which Leonard wants to be exchanged, have not had an encouraging initial conversation with the Spurs, ESPN recently reported.
If Leonard can convince the rest of the teams interested in negotiating for him that it will only be a one year lease before signing with Los Angeles in 2019, the Lakers might have the offer most convincing commercial opportunity to offer in San Antonio.
The situation became similar to the one where the Lakers were with the Indiana Pacers last year, when George informed the Pacers that he was planning to sign with the Lakers as' s. free agent in 2018. As such, the Lakers have never made a substantial offer to Indiana. – as the No. 2 pick in the 2017 draft, or Brandon Ingram – as they expected George to come to them this year in a free agency. But now, after trading last summer in Oklahoma City, George is seriously considering a return to the Thunder, as well as the opportunity to join the Lakers or others.
Los Angeles could risk a scenario of James staying in Cleveland or going elsewhere and the Spurs exchange Leonard to a destination where he becomes comfortable and covers himself to join the Lakers next year.
The Lakers have weighed the retention of young badets and future draft picks against the possibility of being excluded in a free agency. The Lakers were hoping to lure James and George into a free agency, which would give them more weight in Leonard's trade negotiations, or simply for the ability to wait until next year to sign Leonard .
The price for Leonard would be substantial. The Lakers may have to abandon a combination of former first-round picks – Ingram, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart – and future first-round picks and possibly restricted free agent Julius Randle in a signature agreement.
The Spurs could also push the Lakers to take an unattractive contract from their books. These are all deal points that would be applicable to leverage, which belongs to the Spurs as long as Magic Lakers' president Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka have not yet delivered on the promise of 39, a free agent of the first order.
Mr Johnson told reporters in Los Angeles on Tuesday that he would leave his position as president of the basketball team where he could not deliver superstars through a agency or free trade during the next two summers.
While James and George have until Friday to exercise their player options on the last years of their contracts and become unrestricted free agents. Leonard can not withdraw from his contract until next summer.
Until now, the Spurs have not responded to any teams that have inquired about Leonard, and they have not ruled out the possibility of trading against a league destination. according to sources.
James has not ruled out a return to Cleveland, but his chances of staying with a remodeled and improved alignment are troublesome.
The Cavaliers worked on several opportunities for trading and compensation for salaries to be aggressive in the free agency, but they were stuck in attempts to meet or discuss scenarios with James, sources said. the league. James had been clear that he would not engage with the Cavaliers throughout the pre-draft and pre-free-agent process, and he remained consistent with this posture.
James's reluctance to engage beyond the 2017-2018 season has made it difficult for Cavs to manage for George last summer, because George wanted a James commitment beyond next season to do one of his own sources. A George-to-Cleveland deal collapsed when the Cavs refused to make a future first-round pick without protection, a concession that they felt they could not do without insurance. from James.
It is unlikely that the Cavaliers exchanged Kyrie Irving with James and George on Cleveland's line-up.
Now, the longer the Cavaliers are without communicating clearly with James, the less likely they are to find ways to update the list to James' satisfaction. Cleveland would like to get involved with George or The free agencies of Chris Paul in concert with re-sign James, but because the Cavs are likely to be in-depth in the luxury tax, they will be prohibited from receiving players in signing agreements, and that involves to get involved in the free agency of stars almost impossible.
Cleveland is inquiring about Leonard, according to sources, but the Cavaliers probably do not have the badets to carve out a place in the market.
Leonard was emphatic about the fact that he did not want to re-enter the San Antonio locker room, and the Spurs were adamant that they would not be forced to make an exchange, or a calendar, before the February deadline. I said. No team discussing with the Spurs about Leonard found that they were in a hurry to make a deal.
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