3 Most Likely Kawhi Leonard Destinations if He Demands a Trade This Summer

The biggest question mark surrounding the Los Angeles Clippers this offseason will be Kawhi Leonard's future. The league's investigation is ongoing, but regardless of the outcome, whether Leonard will want to stay with the Clippers is unclear. GM Lawrence Frank expressed a desire to keep the 34-year-old forward, but Leonard has failed to commit so far.

Leonard is under contract for another season, but is eligible for an extension. If the Clippers are not willing to give him the extension he is looking for, Leonard could certainly explore his options. Or if he feels like he isn't going to be able to compete for a championship with this team, he could look for greener pastures.

If he does ask for a trade, the Clippers would certainly work with him to send him to a destination of his choice. Since he is looking for a contract extension, he does have some leverage to dictate his destination. No team is going to trade for Leonard unless they are sure he will sign a new deal with them.

After Leonard's excellent season, there should be plenty of interest in Leonard. Number of teams who Leonard would realistically want to play for, however, is limited. It has to be a team that has enough assets, ability to contend, and the desire to give him a multi-year extension, while being an attractive place to live. That could potentially restrict the potential landing spot to three.

Golden State Warriors

Leonard-to-Warriors rumors have been around for a while. Golden State reportedly pursued Leonard at the trade deadline, but Steve Ballmer eventually put his foot down. Leonard has spoken highly of the Warriors organization at every turn.

On paper, Golden State has everything Leonard may be looking for. They have star talent in Steph Curry and Draymond Green, and they are desperate to stay competitive. To contend for a championship in the dawn of the Steph Curry era, giving up their assets for Leonard makes some sense. They also have Jimmy Butler's expiring contract, which they can use as matching salary in the trade.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Clippers would ideally not want to trade their superstar to their LA rivals. If Leonard wants to stay close to home in Southern California, however, he may force his way to the Lakers.

The Lakers have the cap space to bring Leonard in without giving up many assets. LeBron James and Austin Reaves will be free agents this summer, so the Lakers could trade for Leonard and then bring back James and Reaves to build a superteam. That could certainly have some appeal to Kawhi as he searches for his third NBA championship.

Miami Heat

Miami is certainly far from home for Leonard, but as a team, the Heat could be an appealing landing spot. The Heat under Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra have long coveted superstars, and they are unlikely to change direction. They are reportedly chasing Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason, but Leonard would be an ideal Plan B for the Heat.

The Heat could certainly convince themselves to be a Kawhi Leonard away from title contention. They have enough assets and matching salaries to make a very competitive offer to the Clippers. LA could have interest in some of their younger players like Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez, and Kasparas Jakucionis, making the Heat capable of bowling the Clippers over with a trade package.

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