Kawhi Leonard trade rumors: 7 potential destinations for Spurs star

1. Boston Celtics

Not only can the Boston Celtics put together the best possible trade packages for Leonard, but they also have the best shot at trading with the Spurs while also being able to convince Kawhi to re-sign next summer.

Basically, they might be the league’s best hope at stopping a potential Kawhi-to-Los Angeles scenario from becoming reality.

As ESPN‘s Zach Lowe so effectively covered, the crux of the issue here might come down to Danny Ainge‘s willingness to offer up Jaylen Brown. Kyrie Irving and Jayson Tatum would be off limits, the Spurs might not want any part of Al Horford‘s contract/age if they’re blowing it up with a Kawhi trade, and Gordon Hayward would be risky coming off that gruesome injury.

Including one of Boston’s Big 3 (Irving, Hayward, Horford) would require Leonard to waive his trade kicker to go through. The Celtics could choose to wait until July, when sign-and-trade scenarios involving Marcus Smart could arise.

Boston could try to build a package around a sign-and-trade for Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier, Marcus Morris, Guerschon Yabusele and draft picks, as Lowe lays out. One example might involve their 2019 first round pick coming from the Sacramento Kings, plus two other first-rounders in 2019 from the Clippers and the Memphis Grizzlies — an offer nearly impossible for any team to top.

The Clippers’ first-rounder is lottery-protected in 2019 and 2020, and if it hasn’t conveyed by then, it turns into a 2022 second-rounder. The Grizzlies’ pick is top-eight protected in 2019, top-six protected in 2020 and unprotected in 2021, making it more valuable than the Clippers’ pick.

The Kings’ pick is the more favorable selection between Sacramento’s first-rounder and the Sixers’ first-rounder. With the Kings looking like a likely lottery team again in 2019, it’ll probably be Sacramento’s pick, though it is protected if it lands at No. 1.

Bearing all this in mind, the Spurs would be getting a fiery, versatile defender in Smart, a starting-caliber point guard or super-sub in Rozier, another fiery bench scorer in Morris and the young Yabusele, plus up to three first round picks in next year’s draft.

If dealing with all those potential scenarios of picks conveying is too much, the Spurs will push for Jaylen Brown, at which point the Kings and Grizzlies picks would come off the table:

Brown is already one of the league’s most promising two-way wings and looks like a pretty perfect Kawhi Leonard replacement after averaging 14.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game on 39.5 percent shooting from downtown while locking down the wing for the league’s No. 1 defense.

Rozier proved he’s capable of being a starting-caliber point guard in this league, coming to life after being inserted into the starting lineup for an injury Kyrie Irving and averaging 15.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game in 16 games.

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With Rozier, Morris and Brown to build around, the Celtics would throw in someone like Semi Ojeleye or Guerschon Yabusele to round things out with the Clippers or Grizzlies pick. There are dozens of options, but it’s clear the Celtics should be the frontrunners depending on what assets they’re willing to part with.

A Godfather offer like this that would give Boston a starting lineup of Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, Jayson Tatum, Kawhi Leonard and Al Horford.

In any of these trades, the Celtics are left with an absolutely stacked starting five and a legitimate shot at stealing the Eastern crown from LeBron James. Meanwhile, the Spurs get some promising young pieces to rebuild around, both in the draft and with young talent like Smart, Rozier Morris and/or Brown.

Danny Ainge pulled off the Kyrie Irving trade, stole Jayson Tatum in the draft and landed Gordon Hayward in free agency, but if he could somehow pull this blockbuster deal off, all those years of waiting to put his assets to good use would finally come to fruition, forming a legitimate title contender in the process.

Next: 2018 NBA Mock Draft - Final edition

However, dealing Brown and/or Rozier would also shorten their window, which was expanding with Tatum and Brown on the rise. The potential obstacles are Ainge’s willingness to include Jaylen Brown or too many picks, along with his hesitance to give up for the farm for a player who A) might leave for L.A. next summer and B) might have health concerns moving forward. Meanwhile, the Spurs’ reluctance to move Kawhi could prevent a deal from happening at all.