The Los Angeles Lakers are awaiting the opportunity of a lifetime that could come in the fallout of the NBA's investigation into the Kawhi Leonard scandal with the Los Angeles Clippers. The major problem with envisioning Leonard in purple and gold at this stage is whether the fit would be right for him.
The first barrier that would need to be crossed is the NBA properly evaluating the controversial circumstances that led everyone here. Sam Amick of The Athletic did say that if Adam Silver got the confirmation needed of wrongdoing, voiding Leonard's contract would not be off the table.
If the goal was to stay in Los Angeles, close to family, the Lakers are the only game left in town, right? That much is true, but the issue would be whether Leonard sees himself properly acclimating with the Lakers. Bruce Arthur of the Toronto Star explained this is where the problem exists.
Arthur wrote, "It’s possible this scandal dates to at least 2019. After the [Toronto] Raptors won the NBA title, Leonard became a free agent and chose between Los Angeles and Toronto. ... Leonard didn’t want to play with LeBron James, so the Lakers were a third wheel in the sweepstakes."
Kawhi’s hesitation about LeBron could ruin Lakers’ chances
First and foremost, there are still a lot of dominoes that need to fall before Leonard being an option is truly on the table. Should everything lead to the point where that dream becomes a reality, it is worth exploring whether James would still be the roadblock that Arthur claimed him to be in 2019.
The key change in Los Angeles that could rewrite the narrative would be Luka Doncic. James is no longer the sun that everything in the Lakers organization revolves around. That position now belongs to the Slovenian superstar.
That includes both a different off-court dynamic and on-court dynamic for the Lakers. With Doncic holding the reins, it is worth asking if Leonard's reported stance on the situation could be different.
James is still an important cog in Los Angeles, there is no doubt about that. However, the brand of basketball played will look much different in 2025-26, especially with a full training camp for JJ Redick to fully implement Doncic-ball.
If the on-court product is all Leonard cared about, though, then the Clippers star would likely have never departed from the Raptors in the first place, leading to the chaotic mess that is brewing today. Arthur mentioned that Leonard 'recognized that Toronto was the best basketball situation.'
The added wrinkle of Leonard's reported distaste for playing with James adds another layer of difficulty to the dream of poaching a third star at an extreme discount. However, if the NBA continues to teach one key lesson, it is to never say never.