NBA Rumors: Raptors Favorite To Land Leonard, Durant On Knicks' Radar

After LeBron James' potential free agency initially dominating the NBA off-season it is now Kawhi Leonard’s turn to be the most sought after player despite possessing one more year on his contract with the San Antonio Spurs.

The former Cleveland Cavaliers star opted out of his contract with his former employers and joined the Los Angeles Lakers on a four-year deal. The Staples Center-based franchise were linked with a move for Leonard, who is also said to be keen to join James in Los Angeles.

The Spurs’ small forward is in the final-year of his contract with his current employers and is seeking a trade and his first preference is to return home to Los Angeles, with the Lakers being his first choice. The relationship between the player and Greg Popovic’s team strained during the course of last season, but the Texas-based franchise are still hoping to keep him in the long-term.

Leonard is now eligible for a super max contract worth $221 million over five-years but the Spurs are yet to offer him a deal. It is unclear if he will accept it after indicating he wants to leave the franchise during the off-season.

The Lakers were pondering a trade for Leonard after landing one of the greatest players in NBA history in free agency this summer. But they are now said to have cooled their interest as they are confident they can land him when he becomes a free agent next summer.

The Philadelphia 76ers were also linked, but according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, they have also given up making a trade for the two-time NBA defensive player of the year. Windhorst claims the Toronto Raptors have suddenly become the frontrunners for his signature as they are the only team willing to do a trade with the five-time NBA champions.

"I think they're in the driver's seat for Kawhi [Leonard] because I think the Lakers have given up," Windhorst said, as quoted by the Express.

"The Sixers have given up. And with the Nets, Bulls and Hawks spending their cap space, it makes it harder to assemble a multi-team trade,” he added. “I think the Raptors are in the driver's seat."

The report claims that in the event the Raptors make a trade for Leonard, they will have to sacrifice one of Kyle Lowry or DeMar DeRozan.

The NBA rumor mill continues to churn out exciting possibilities not only for this season but also next season with a number of players having the possibility of entering free agency. One among them is Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant.

Durant opted out of his previous contract this summer and re-signed a new two-year deal with the Warriors, but he does have a player option at the end of the upcoming campaign. He can again be an unrestricted free agent next summer, and according to New York Daily News reporter Frank Isola, the New York Knicks could target a move for the two-time NBA Finals MVP.