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Knicks Trade Rumors: Spurs worried Kawhi Leonard is eyeing a major market

By Maxwell Ogden

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 02: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs in action against Courtney Lee #5 of the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 2, 2018 in New York City. The Spurs defeated the Knicks 100-91. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 02: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs in action against Courtney Lee #5 of the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 2, 2018 in New York City. The Spurs defeated the Knicks 100-91. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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The San Antonio Spurs reportedly fear that Kawhi Leonard could attempt to leave for a major market franchise. The New York Knicks were alluded to.

The New York Knicks are in the process of hiring a new head coach. One of the primary goals that was set by the front office was finding a candidate who could reestablish the gritty and defensive-minded culture that once defined Knicks basketball.

While all eyes may be on the candidates to fill the vacancy at head coach, the Knicks will also be considering the possibility of acquiring players who fit that mold.

One of the players who has unexpectedly surfaced as an option for the Knicks to consider is San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Leonard. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year has experienced uncharacteristic drama with the Spurs that’s been shrouded in mystery.

Ramona Shelburne and Michael C. Wright of ESPN provided long-awaited answers in a brilliant piece, including the revelation that the Spurs worry that Leonard may want to leave and play in a major market.

"Multiple league sources also told ESPN that the Spurs have grown worried that Leonard’s group has an ulterior motive to fray the relationship and get Leonard traded to a larger market like Los Angeles (Leonard’s hometown) or New York or Philadelphia (Robertson lives in New Jersey)."

With all due respect to the Brooklyn Nets, the Knicks seem like the more plausible option if New York is truly in Leonard’s crosshairs.

While the Nets are still waiting to have the rights to their first-round draft choices again, Kristaps Porzingis and the Knicks are actively rebuilding with lottery picks. Porzingis and defensive stalwart Frank Ntilikina will be joined by whomever New York selects in the 2018 NBA Draft.

New York is also in the process of vetting options for the vacancy at head coach, and could conceivably hire a master strategist such as David Blatt or Mike Budenholzer.

On the other end of the spectrum, however, is the fact that Leonard has long been regarded as a player who doesn’t exactly relish the spotlight.

Leonard has no trouble playing at a superstar level when the lights are shining, but as Shelburne and Wright’s piece discusses, he prefers to be about basketball and nothing else. It’s certainly an admirable and understandable approach to the game.

Unfortunately, for as dominant as a trio of Leonard, Ntilikina, and Porzingis could be on defense, the New York media market wouldn’t exactly appeal to the All-NBA forward’s preference of privacy.

If anything, it would be the antithesis of it.

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Nevertheless, the New York Knicks will have quite a bit to consider if Kawhi Leonard becomes a realistically acquirable player.

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