Los Angeles Lakers: Predicting post-LeBron James agreement starting 5

Small Forward: Kawhi Leonard

Yes, it’s going to happen. Why? Well, the Lakers have all the aces in this card game.

Kawhi Leonard wants to be in Los Angeles, and has allegedly made it clear the Lakers are his destination of choice. With James in town, Leonard has even more reason to set his sights on Hollywood. Even if he is dealt, there’s a belief that he could sit out a second season in a row to force his way to Los Angeles.

Why would any other team be willing to give up any significant assets for a player who may not even play? (And don’t you dare mention Paul George.)

So essentially, the Spurs either take the Lakers’ best offer, give him away for pennies on the dollar to another team, or let him walk via 2019 free agency. If I were R.C. Buford, I’d take the first option. Otherwise, he can watch Leonard spend another year completely aloof from the franchise.

Let’s say the Lakers make a reasonable offer to take the 2014 Finals MVP off the Spurs’ hands. I’d love to, but I’m not going to speculate on the details of the deal. Maybe Los Angeles sends Brandon Ingram and a first round pick, just to speed up the process. It’s no “Godfather” offer like San Antonio wants, but it might not have the leverage for that anymore.

Now, the Lakers can slot Leonard in as their second superstar. If he isn’t included in the deal, Ingram is forced to the bench. It’s a small price to pay, though, to get a top-five talent and two-time Defensive Player of the Year. Teaming him with James will do wonders for the franchise’s championship odds.