Wild Kawhi Leonard trade just gave Spurs perfect outcome after controversial rumors

Who'da thunk Kawhi Leonard would return to the place San Antonio cast him after he stampeded out of town those many moons ago? I'm sure Raptors fans are thrilled by this deal. Klaw is the best player in their franchise's history. He brought them their first ring. But this is great news for the Spurs, too.

Bringing Leonard back home would have split the fan base. Instead, the Clippers made sure he didn't join a Western Conference contender, and with the number of rumors that swirled over the past week, there was a non-zero chance of it happening. It's kind of a "where there's smoke, there's fire" kind of thing. The Mavericks were even out there offering packages.

Eventually, it became clear that Kawhi would only sign an extension with the Spurs or the Raptors. San Antonio reportedly had no interest, only leaving Toronto. That meant no Timberwolves, no Mavs, and no Warriors.

Kawhi would have been a thorn in the Spurs' side on the wrong team

The Western Conference is already ridiculous. San Antonio will have their hands full with OKC, Denver, Houston, Utah, and, depending on how the rest of the offseason shapes up, the Timberwolves and Lakers. His still-stellar defense aside, Leonard never lost his ability to catch fire, making ridiculous shot after shot. That ability can crack strong defenses like the one the Spurs deploy.

If he had signed with Dallas, the Spurs' I-35 rival would have a big 3 of their own. Kyrie Irving is expected to return fully healthy next season, giving the Mavs two crazy shotmakers. But he'd also solidify their perimeter defense. He and Cooper Flagg would be extremely annoying for San Antonio's guards to play against. The combination of those three would be a headache.

Could you imagine Steph Curry and Kawhi playing off each other? The space they'd create for each other? Throw Draymond Green's playmaking and defense into the mix. Green and Leonard have three Defensive Player of the Year trophies between them. Obviously, health would be a major factor, but if they were to stay upright, that's another pain in the rear nobody wants to deal with.

Minnesota is a little less scary, but they'd still be annoying. I don't believe in LaMelo Ball. He still has a lot to prove. But an Anthony Edwards and Kawhi pairing can't just be dismissed. Doubling either one with the other on the floor would be impossible. This one was probably the most far-fetched, but the Timberwolves have been actively searching for upgrades, and Leonard's name reportedly came up.

Yeah, Toronto was the best outcome. The Spurs are going to undoubtedly be a force next season, but that doesn't mean we want to stack the odds against them.

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