Aside from the ongoing playoffs, the Kawhi Leonard saga may be the most interesting subplot in the NBA right now and, seemingly on a daily basis, more and more information comes to light regarding what the next step might be for Leonard and/or the San Antonio Spurs. This time around, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News brings word that the Spurs are seeking a meeting with their All-NBA superstar for an express purpose.
The report indicates that the Spurs want to meet “in a bid to mend fences and pave the way for Leonard to come to terms on a five-year, $219 million supermax contract that he will be eligible to receive starting July 1.” San Antonio’s ability to offer Leonard the massive, five-year contract looms over the entire process, as no other NBA team can provide that kind of financial security, even if the superstar moves via trade in the coming months.
With that said, plenty of buzz exists that the Spurs aren’t exactly falling over themselves to offer the aforementioned deal, especially after all of the twists and turns of Leonard’s injury absence this season. Still, all indications are that San Antonio isn’t in any hurry to move on from Leonard unless they are absolutely bowled over by a trade offer and, through that prism, it makes sense for the Spurs to offer the five-year extension. If they do not, focus would shift harshly into the direction of a trade, simply because the risk of losing Leonard for nothing would presumably be too great for the Spurs to allow him to reach free agency.
As the summer unfolds, there will be plenty of attention paid to Leonard and every machination on either side of any potential discussion. The biggest domino is the offer of a five-year max, though, and if it comes, many believe the drama will subside in the form of a new deal that would keep the two-time Defensive Player of the Year in San Antonio for a long time.
