There’s a chance Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler end up playing together next season.
Multiple teams are exploring signing both stars this summer, according to a report from SNY , which cites unidentified league sources. There is a belief among those teams that Leonard and Butler are interested in playing together, the report says.
Leonard has opted out of the final year of his contract with the Raptors but is “seriously considering re-signing” with the team, according to Yahoo Sports . He was named the 2019 Finals MVP and averaged 30.5 points per game in the playoffs as Toronto took home its first title in franchise history.
'Great team'
The Raptors acquired Leonard, along with Danny Green, in a blockbuster trade with the Spurs last summer. "I don't know the percentage (of chance that Leonard stays)," Green said recently, via Sportsnet . "But I think it's a higher percentage for him to be here than to leave.
"The city, the fans have done their job, the organisation's done their job. It's going to be a hard place [for Leonard] to turn down. [You] have a great team and have a city, people, fans that love you and are willing to give you almost everything. … They give you everything, the world, and then some."
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Leonard has also been linked to the Clippers, Knicks and Lakers, among other teams.
The Rockets, meanwhile, will reportedly be “aggressive” in their pursuit of Butler. The 76ers are expected to try to re-sign him, as well.
“Hopefully I’ll get a max contract anywhere I choose to go,” Butler told reporters about his free agency last month. “You always want to be able to win, I think that’s key for sure. You’re looking at coaches, you’re looking at the city. There’s a lot that goes into it.”
The 76ers have multiple top players set to enter free agency, including Butler, Tobias Harris and JJ Redick.
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