Miami Heat: 3 reasons why Kawhi Leonard should be top free agent target

Kawhi Leonard has a previous history of wanting to play with Jimmy Butler, which could happen on the Miami Heat

Both Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler entered free agency together during the summer of 2019. Leonard had just won an NBA title and Finals MVP with the Toronto Raptors. At the same time, Butler got sent home early in the second round with the Philadelphia 76ers thanks to the infamous buzzer-beater in Game 7 by Leonard himself.

Both players were exploring their options on where they would play next, but one potential scenario that seemed to be in the cards was the pair joining forces on the LA Clippers. It is well known that Leonard was not willing to commit to the Clippers without another established star joining forces alongside him, and according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick (subscription required), Leonard was interested in pairing with Butler in LA to make the Clippers a powerhouse contender in the Western Conference.

However, Butler opted to sign with Miami to be the leading man, and LA traded a historic amount of assets to acquire Paul George to also ink Leonard’s signature. With Kawhi set to hit free agency once more once this season concludes, perhaps the thought of playing with Butler is something he could revisit and turn into a reality this time around. If that desire to join forces was mutual between the two stars, then it seems feasible to believe Butler could give his best recruiting effort to land the two-time Finals MVP in South Beach this offseason.