[Stein] There is a growing anticipation in numerous front offices that Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, and/or Giannis Antetokounmpo could land with new teams next season. There is expected to be “even more” interest in Leonard and Antetokounmpo this Summer than there was at the trade deadline.
Source: https://open.substack.com/pub/marcstein/p/monday-best-the-latest-around-the?r=nuq3a&utm_medium=ios
Buckle up.
The Lakers’ LeBron James. The Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard. And, of course, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Expect to hear lots about their futures all spring.
NBA free agency certainly isn’t what it once was, as we’ve chronicled here numerous times, given how common it has become for so many top players to seek and sign contract extensions that spare them from having to test the open market. Yet there is a growing anticipation in numerous front offices, league sources say, that two or even all three of the above marquee names could land with new teams next season.
Only James of the trio is poised to become a free agent on June 30, but both Antetokounmpo and Leonard were pursued by rival teams before the Feb. 5 trade deadline and are expected to generate even more external trade interest this summer.