Future Lakers Teammates? LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Planned Workout Together: Report

The offseason photo of LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard working out together was not something that just happened but rather, something that was planned well in advance.

Last Tuesday, a photo of the trio together at UCLA emerged and became a big talking point among the basketball world.

The image is interesting for a few reasons. It's the first anybody has seen of Leonard, now with the Toronto Raptors, in action since he suffered a quadriceps injury earlier this year that limited him to just nine regular season appearances for the San Antonio Spurs.

And while the image also has Cleveland's Cedi Osman, as well as Leonard's friend and new Toronto staffer Jeremy Castleberry, the main talking point is that it may be foreshadowing James and his potential future teammate(s) at the Los Angeles Lakers.

James signed a four-year deal with the Lakers last month and was expected to be joined by a superstar teammate in either Leonard or Paul George, with the hopes of creating a new super team to challenge the Golden State Warriors.

In the end, neither deal worked out with Leonard in particular, moving to Toronto. Despite Raptors president Masai Ujiri's hopes of keeping Leonard beyond his deal, the 27-year-old's contract expires in 2019, which would allow him to become an unrestricted free agent and make the move to the Staples Center next year.

Then there's also Durant, who while he signed a one-plus-one contract that will keep him in the Bay Area at least until next year, is rumored with a move to the New York Knicks or the Lakers if he is looking for a new challenge.

There's always the possibility he could stay on with the Warriors, especially as they will be able to obtain his Bird rights next season and offer him a supermax contract. But at the same time, reports and speculation are heating up regarding the possibility of him teaming up with James next year, as unlikely as it initially seemed.

"There's only one move to be made here [in 2019] for LeBron James and it's to get Kevin Durant," Fox Sports' Skip Bayless said last week. "And I was told by a source very close to Kevin that LeBron did check in with him this year because he was free, he was a free agent."

"I was also told that Kevin is open to listening next year depending on what happens — what will the Lakers look like with LeBron? What will it play like? What will it feel like? It could be a disaster. Will DeMarcus Cousins work or not work in Golden State? I don’t know. Will they fall apart because DeMarcus Cousins can’t find a place?" he said.

Even if there is no connection with the photo and Durant and Leonard's futures, the trio all planned to work out together, having tried to do so for a while, according to The Undefeated:

"James, Durant and Leonard worked out together for the first time on Tuesday at UCLA after trying to make it happen for a while, sources told The Undefeated. It is uncertain whether another private basketball workout with James, Durant and Leonard will happen anytime soon."