Kawhi Leonard at Raptors works, but spurs lose future flexibility

NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 2: Kawhi Leonard # 2 of the San Antonio Spurs warms up before the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in January NOTE TO THE USER: The user acknowledges and expressly agrees, by downloading and / or using this photo, that the user agrees to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matteo Marchi / Getty Images Since speculation about Kawhi Leonard began in June, the San Antonio Spurs star has been linked to the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles teams and the Philadelphia 76ers. All of them are big market teams and two include Leonard's hometown, These are predictable destinations, but there is the element of surprise that has the opportunity to make this interesting.

It started with Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post Report selo n which the Buzz Raptors "for inter is at Leonard. Having no guarantee of a future for a destination after 2018-19, it is a risky game for the Raptors, who may have to send their best badets to a potential rental location. ################################################################################ 39, one year. Whether it be OG Anunoby, Jakob Poeltl or Pascal Siakam, one or two of these groups make sense as additions to the larger room. a trade. The problem, however, for the Spurs, finds them taking a contract that harms their offseason flexibility for the coming seasons.

DeMar DeRozan is the piece that stands out among the expensive multi-year offers that he, Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas possess. The USC product has averaged at least 20 points per game in each season since 2013-14 and has become the face of this central Eastern Conference, acting as one of the best shooting guards in the NBA. However, the problems of the playoffs and a below-average outdoor jumpshot hurt its value.

For a trade, at $ 27.7 million for the 2018-2019 season, DeRozan's salary is close to $ 8 million above Leonard's, so San Antonio should send l & # 39; money. The same salary is due for 2019-20 and 2020-21, pending that he does not withdraw from his affair; if this happens, it is the consumption of a shadow less than a quarter of the salary cap, based on its projection for the offseason of 2019.

Of course, the acquisition of DeRozan lobbies the front office to sign a big name in the open market. With players like Jimmy Butler, Khris Middleton, Klay Thompson, and Kemba Walker among the big names available on July 1, 2019, would the Spurs eliminate their luck at any of these players before a chance n & # 39; 39, arrives?

Lowry is probably the most unrealistic of the three. With $ 31 million in 2018-19 and $ 33 million in 2019-2020, this would represent nearly a third of Spurs' salary cap and make it difficult to distribute money next July. Approaching his mid-thirties, and with Dejounte Murray getting up to the playmaker, it makes no sense for the Silver and the Black to pursue this avenue.

As for the Valanciunas, the Spurs lack depth in the center, as LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol are the only players able to handle this. At $ 16.5 million, however, it's a salary that approaches Leonard's, and he has a player option for 2019-20 at a slightly higher figure. Taking it as a main piece in return would solve the issues of the forecourt, but risking the flexibility of 2019, especially if Valanciunas and Aldridge are not entangled, could make it a multi-year issue.

So if the Spurs choose to trade with Toronto and take one of these contracts, how can this work? Based on salary approaches Leonard ($ 20 million) and Patty Mills ($ 11.5 million) for DeRozan ($ 27.7 million), Poeltl ($ 2.9 million) and future choices involved . While DeRozan's contract comes on board, Mills' three-year and $ 38-million move away and remove at least a two-digit multi-year agreement from the equation, while releasing the depth map guarded Spurs

on both sides, contractually speaking. However, future flexibility is the disadvantage, even if it means taking one of Toronto's youth badets. Is it worth it for the Spurs in a post-Leonard world? [>

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NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 2: Kawhi Leonard # 2 of the San Antonio Spurs warms up before the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 2, 2018 in New York NOTE TO USER: The user acknowledges and expressly agrees that by downloading and using this photo, the user accepts the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement by Matteo Marchi / Getty Images )

Since Kawhi Leonard's commercial speculation began in June, the San Antonio Spurs star has been linked to the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles teams and the Philadelphia 76ers, two of which include Leonard's hometown, so these would be predictable destinations, but there is the element of surprise that has the opportunity to make this interesting.

It started with Tim Bontemps from the report of The Washington Post that the Toronto Rapto rs "generated buzz" p our interest in Leonard. Having no guarantee of a future for a destination after 2018-19, it is a risky game for the Raptors, who may have to send their best badets to a potential rental location. ################################################################################ 39, one year. Whether it be OG Anunoby, Jakob Poeltl or Pascal Siakam, one or two of these groups make sense as additions to the larger room. a trade. The problem, however, for the Spurs, finds them taking a contract that harms their offseason flexibility for the coming seasons.

DeMar DeRozan is the piece that stands out among the expensive multi-year offers that he, Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas possess. The USC product has averaged at least 20 points per game in each season since 2013-14 and has become the face of this central Eastern Conference, acting as one of the best shooting guards in the NBA. However, the problems of the playoffs and a below-average outdoor jumpshot hurt its value.

For a trade of $ 27.7 million for the 2018-19 season, DeRozan's salary is $ 8 million higher than Leonard's. . The same salary is due for 2019-20 and 2020-21, pending that he does not withdraw from his affair; if this happens, it is the consumption of a shadow less than a quarter of the salary cap, based on its projection for the offseason of 2019.

Of course, the acquisition of DeRozan lobbies the front office to sign a big name in the open market. With players such as Jimmy Butler, Khris Middleton, Klay Thompson and Kemba Walker among the big names available on July 1, 2019, would the Spurs eliminate their chances at any of these players before a chance is reached? # 39; s happening?

Lowry is probably the most unrealistic of the three. With $ 31 million in 2018-19 and $ 33 million in 2019-2020, this would represent nearly a third of Spurs' salary cap and make it difficult to distribute money next July. Approaching his mid-thirties, and with Dejounte Murray getting up to the playmaker, it makes no sense for the Silver and the Black to pursue this avenue.

As for the Valanciunas, the Spurs lack depth in the center, as LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol are the only players able to handle this. At $ 16.5 million, however, it's a salary that approaches Leonard's, and he has a player option for 2019-20 at a slightly higher figure. Taking it as a main piece in return would solve the issues of the forecourt, but risking the flexibility of 2019, especially if Valanciunas and Aldridge are not entangled, could make it a multi-year issue.

So if the Spurs choose to trade with Toronto and take one of these contracts, how can this work? Based on salary approaches Leonard ($ 20 million) and Patty Mills ($ 11.5 million) for DeRozan ($ 27.7 million), Poeltl ($ 2.9 million) and future choices involved . While DeRozan's contract comes on board, Mills' three-year and $ 38-million move away and remove at least a two-digit multi-year agreement from the equation, while releasing the depth map guarded Spurs

on both sides, contractually speaking. However, future flexibility is the disadvantage, even if it means taking one of Toronto's youth badets. Is it worth playing for the Spurs in a post-Leonard world?