2 More Kawhi Leonard Suitors May Emerge After Friday's Game 6s

While the Los Angeles Clippers have been in offseason mode for the last month, the NBA Playoffs are in full swing. With the Conference Finals right around the corner, there will be two more disappointed teams suffering earlier-than-anticipated exits after this weekend.

The Detroit Pistons and the Minnesota Timberwolves have do-or-die games in their respective series on Friday. Behind 3-2 in Round 2, both teams have to win tonight to force a Game 7 on Sunday. If they lose, they will be left with significant offseason questions. This could even augur radical changes, which may include swinging big for a superstar like Kawhi Leonard.

Detroit Pistons as a Kawhi Leonard Landing Spot

If the Pistons lose to the Cavaliers in Round 2, they will be forced to reckon with the reality that they aren't particularly close to winning a championship. The main reason for that is their lack of true star talent around Cade Cunningham.

If Leonard prioritizes winning in the next stage of his career, the Pistons will be as good an option as any. For the Clippers, it's almost certainly the best trade partner out there because of the combination of their draft picks and young players.

Detroit can give Leonard a superstar running partner and an elite supporting cast in a weak Eastern Conference. They also have the financial flexibility to give Leonard the extension he is looking for.

LA could take back a combination of Ausar Thompson, Ron Holland, and Isaiah Stewart, as well as multiple first-round picks. This would help kickstart the next era of Clippers basketball and set them up very well for the future.

Minnesota Timberwolves as a Potential Kawhi Leonard Suitor

The Timberwolves, on the other hand, don't have as many assets as the Pistons, but may be as desperate to make a big trade. They are clearly behind the Spurs and the Thunder in the West hierarchy, so they may have to swing big to close the gap.

As they are currently constructed, the Timberwolves are facing a financial cliff. They are a very expensive team, and they will come dangerously close to the second apron once they pay Ayo Dosunmu this summer. They are set to pay Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels, and Naz Reid a combined $168.2 million next season.

With Gobert about to turn 34 and Randle 32, Minnesota's title window may be closing sooner rather than later. This could force them to accelerate the process and go all-in on Leonard.

Minnesota can only trade one first-round pick. They can add a few pick swaps, but they are bereft of draft capital. So, they would have to include valuable players to make it worth LA's while.

A trade could be built around the two out of Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Jaden McDaniels trio. The salary-matching is relatively easy in such a scenario. Minnesota would presumably not want to give up McDaniels, and the Clippers will likely insist on getting him back in a trade. This could be where negotiations hit a wall.

After the season Kawhi Leonard just had, he will naturally have plenty of suitors this summer if he is made available. As disappointing playoff exits pile up, this list will only continue to grow. It may not be long before we start seeing Kawhi-to-Minnesota and Kawhi-to-Detroit mock trades.

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