For a man to still drive the 97' Chevy Tahoe he drove in high school, while also getting paid $17.4 million a year to play basketball, that man couldn't be aanybody else other than Kawhi Leonard. The San Antonio Spurs forward stated in an interview last year that the truck's value was about $1,150. It's safe to say that Leonard probably makes that much by just stepping onto court. Although, Leonard did not spend any of his time on the court this season, largely due to an injury that held him back, but speculations were made that Kawhi did not want to put on a Spurs jersey at all. The star forward never seemed all that injured according to Coach Popovich, and his impromptu vacation to New York in the heat of the season gave Spurs' fans a sense that the 97' Chevy Tahoe may not be pulling into the AT&T Center this upcoming season.
With a contract extension on the table and interviews all across the country, Kawhi Leonard must decide this summer if he even wants to play basketball. A number of teams have expressed interest in Leonard, including his current team whom has offered a five year $217 million deal, but no one knows for sure what colors Kawhi will be wearing. And though Kawhi may not be one to indulge himself, he certainly has had his eye on a certain golden ring for quite some time now. The question is, who's going to win him that prize?
Destination 1: Los Angeles Lakers
An acquisition of Kawhi Leonard would cost a lot for the Lakers, but given that there is no choice Lebron is heading to town while the Ball family is still in residence, the Lakers may want to find a target for point guard Isaiah Thomas. While they're at it, they could get rid of court side commentator LaVar Ball by trading his son Lonzo--along with sophomore shooting guard Kyle Kuzma--to the San Antonio Spurs. It would make for a more humble Los Angeles, which the Lakers might enjoy given the entire franchise has the Ball family at their heels.
Destination 2: Philadelphia 76ers
A team that's on the rise, young, and hungry for a championship only needs one more addition: a veteran like Kawhi Leonard. The MVP would bring a fighting chance for these young guns in the East. All it would take is the release of Robert Covington, Markelle Fultz, and their number 10 draft pick, in order to retain a starting lineup that includes Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, and Kawhi Leonard. The only question is, does Kawhi trust the process
Destination 3: Boston Celtics
The shattering injury of Gordon Hayward last season made for space in the Boston Celtics lineup. Young hoopers such as Terry Rozier, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylon Brown showed up to play all the way until Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. However, if Boston wants to keep up with Cleveland, they might need to trade away one of those sophomores or rookies in order to get a shot at Kawhi Leonard. If Boston releases Gordon Hayward and Jaylon Brown, they could have lethal lineup this upcoming season.
