Kawhi Leonard is fresh off winning his second career NBA Finals MVP award, but he’ll now turn his focus to making his next career decision.
The Toronto Raptors forward is one of the most coveted free agents in this summer’s impressive field of players, and the Los Angeles Lakers are planning to give him their pitch early next week in L.A. Leonard did have one interesting request ahead of the start of free agency that obviously turned some heads.
Leonard is interested in speaking with Magic Johnson, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. Johnson left the Lakers organization late last season in abrupt fashion, so the former president of basketball operations is not permitted to be a part of the team’s official meetings with free agents. Stephen A. Smith reported last week that Leonard requested owner Jeanie Buss and Johnson to be in the meeting.
Johnson told Shelburne, “A friend of mine called and says Kawhi wants to meet with you. I said no problem. I’m available if that’s what this man wants.”
Johnson says “A friend of mine called and says Kawhi wants to meet with you,” Johnson told ESPN. “I said no problem. I’m available if that’s what this man wants.
“But I got a great life. I’m not trying to mess with anybody’s job.”
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) June 28, 2019
Johnson added that he has not been asked by the “Lakers or owner Jeanie Buss to participate.”
There has been “regular communication” between Johnson and the team however, according to Shelburne.
However there has been regular communication between Magic Johnson and the Lakers about how he can be helpful to them informally, as he no longer works for the team, and is free to have any relationships with current players.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) June 28, 2019
Johnson successfully recruited and signed LeBron James last summer, but time will tell if Los Angeles will be able to sign a third star to pair with James and newly acquired Anthony Davis.
