In the summer of 2018, all eyes were on then-San Antonio Spurs superstar Kawhi Leonard.
After being selected as the 15th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Kawhi Leonard slowly but surely rose to stardom on the San Antonio Spurs.
Despite winning an NBA Championship and several individual accolades, in the summer of 2018, Leonard was ready to move on from the Spurs.
As we know, Leonard eventually was traded to the Toronto Raptors on July 18, 2018, but before the move, there were a plethora of rumors about the Klaw considering a move to the LA Lakers.
NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith has always shared his opinion on the top stars in the league, including Leonard.
Be it blaming Leonard for the LA Clippers losing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or discussing the 2x NBA champion’s free agency options, Smith has always had an opinion.
Speaking of Leonard’s discourse with the Spurs in 2018, Stephen A. reported that the talented forward was willing to sit out the entire 2018-19 NBA season.
“According to a couple of other executives, because of the personality of Kawhi Leonard and what transpired last season, they said to me don’t rule out the possibility of Kawhi Leonard sitting out next season before he is willing to come back to the San Antonio Spurs,” Smith said on ESPN in 2018.
“That is how badly he wants out. That’s how badly he wants to remain in LA, and that is the situation. That is the news I have,” he added.
Upon being asked what Smith’s thoughts were on the supposed ‘toxic’ method, the ESPN expert gave an explosive answer.
“If he employed that method, it would be highly unprofessional, incredibly unfair, and just trifling on the part of Kawhi Leonard,” Smith stated.
In reality, neither Leonard sat out the season nor did he force a move to the Lakers. Instead, Leonard and Danny Green were traded to the Raptors in exchange for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl, and a 2019 first-round pick.
At the time, many looked down on the trade, but the Klaw proved his critics wrong. He averaged 26.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game during the regular season.
But Leonard saved his best form for the NBA Playoffs as he led the Raptors to their first-ever NBA Championship in franchise history.
He was by far the best player on the Raptors’ 2019 NBA Championship-winning roster. Of course, Leonard left the Raptors in the offseason, joining the Clippers, where he has already spent six years.
As good as Kawhi was during his sole season in Canada, the Clippers have never witnessed that version of the 34-year-old due to a plethora of injury setbacks throughout his stint in LA.
