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NBA Trade Rumors: Clippers Star Kawhi Leonard Wants to Join Steph Curry and Warriors
Kawhi Leonard will be disappointed with how the season ended for him and his team. After reaching the Western Conference Finals, the Clippers bowed out 4-2 to the Phoenix Suns, in the absence of Leonard. After suffering an injury in the Conference semifinal, Leonard missed out on the entire series against the Suns.
The elimination meant that Leonard’s season ended on a bland note, and he could possibly choose to leave the side.
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Kawhi Leonard undergoes surgery
During Game-4 of the semifinal against the Utah Jazz, Leonard suffered an ACL tear. This forced him to miss out on the rest of the Clippers’ season altogether. Though the LA side was able to claw back and overcome a 0-2 deficit in the semifinal, it turned out to be too big of an ask in the finals. Before the Clippers could gain some momentum, the Suns ran away with the tie.
The former Toronto Raptors player suffered a partial tear of the right ACL, and underwent surgery on the 13th of July. While the surgery was successful, there is no official word on the return of Leonard. The Los Angeles Clippers termed the injury as a sprain; and while it was not the biggest of injuries, the recovery process will not be as short as anticipated.
Warriors in line to acquire Leonard?
Jan 6, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) holds onto the ball next to Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) in the first quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Kawhi Leonard has a clause in his contract which allows him to opt for free agency this summer. It is not very likely that the 30-year-old will opt out of the Clippers, but nothing can be ruled out. Should Leonard choose to part ways with his current team, many teams would potentially be interested in signing him. And the Golden State Warriors are one of them.
With the current squad that the Warriors have, and with Klay Thompson possibly returning, many would consider it preposterous on the Warriors’ part to go for Leonard. On the flip side, if Leonard joins the Warriors setup, the three men could form a ‘Splash Trio’ and wreak havoc in the league. There have been rumors recently that the Dubs don’t mind acquiring someone like Leonard. And according to latest reports, the player would be more than open to the move himself.
Kawhi Leonard “loves” the idea of going to play for the Warriors next season, sources tell the Athletic. pic.twitter.com/cDlB83esQl
— NBA Central (@ThNBACentral) July 14, 2021
Can the Warriors pull off one of the biggest steals in NBA history with the acquirement of Kawhi Leonard? Or will the Clippers manage to retain their star player? Furthermore, is there a possibility of Leonard joining another franchise? Only time will tell. Let us know what you think about the position of Kawhi Leonard.
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