Kawhi Leonard Said He Was Very Close to Choosing Raptors or Lakers Before Clippers Decision
Two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard was officially introduced as a Los Angeles Clipper in a press conference on Wednesday.
The same day, in interview with ESPN's Rachel Nichols, Leonard claimed he was "very close" to choosing the Lakers or staying with the Raptors before making his ultimate decision to sign with the Clippers.
the Celtics will be very proud of the Lakers and Raptors for almost getting Kawhi Leonard pic.twitter.com/YFGWiC8pKL
— Dan Favale (@danfavale) July 24, 2019
So what changed his mind? It was the opportunity to play alongside Paul George.
George's two years with the Oklahoma City Thunder came to an abrupt end following his trade to the Clippers. The deal came after two consecutive seasons of first-round playoff defeats while playing alongside NBA MVP Russell Westbrook.
"It's still surreal."
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) July 24, 2019
Here's an excerpt from my conversation with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George - full interview still to come: pic.twitter.com/Pd6m0ScXGl
In the same interview, George told Nichols that the trade decision was not out of the blue for him or OKC. George had agreed to stick it out for another year with the Thunder, but with little improvement, he knew it was time to move on and the organization was aware of it.
Leonard's one year with the Raptors ended quite successfully with a championship victory and another Finals MVP trophy. However, for Leonard, the opportunity to play with George was one he couldn't pass up.
The duo is expected to put the Clippers in championship contention and possibly bring a title to the other side of the Staples Center.