As Kawhi Leonard reportedly attempts to force his way out of town, San Antonio Spurs general manager R.C. Buford remains committed to keeping his All-Star forward in black and silver.
Following the 2018 NBA draft Thursday, Buford let it be known, via Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News, that the franchise will attempt to work things out with the disgruntled star: "Our goal is to keep him as a part of our program for a long time."
ESPN's Michael C. Wright provided video of Buford's comments:
Leonard's future in San Antonio has come into question following an injury-plagued season.
He missed 78 of 87 games (including the playoffs) in 2017-18 because of a quadriceps injury. He did not make his season debut until his team's 28th game, and after a gradual return that resulted in many DNPs, he did not see the court after January 13.
That caused plenty of drama within the team.
He was medically cleared by San Antonio in February but opted to seek a second opinion. As he continued to sit out the remainder of the season, ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski reported in March that the Spurs held a players-only meeting in hopes of convincing the two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year to play down the stretch as the team fought for a playoff spot.
Wojnarowski and Wright reported in January that Leonard has been "distant" and "disconnected" from the team. Time apparently hasn't healed the relationship, as Yahoo Sports' Shams Charania broke the news last week that the 2014 NBA Finals MVP is seeking a trade. That article cites "mistrust" that came about from the way the team handled the injury.
Buford said Thursday that he wishes he could have a do-over for the situation, via Orsborn: "I think all of us would wish that things would have gone differently at times."
Wojnarowski added that the forward wants to play in Los Angeles, preferably for the Lakers. Unfortunately for Leonard, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne tweeted Thursday that the Spurs "basically shut the door on [the Lakers]" when Los Angeles recently inquired about a trade.
San Antonio does not have to trade Leonard. The 26-year-old is under contract for one more season. When it comes to a long-term deal, no team could currently offer more than the Spurs, who could put a five-year, $219 milliong super max deal on the table this summer.
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