Kawhi Leonard Reportedly Chose Paul George Over Russell Westbrook During 2019 Free Agency

After Kawhi Leonard won the 2019 NBA title with the Toronto Raptors, he hit the open market.

Of course, many players around the league were seeking to team up with Leonard after seeing his ability to carry a team to the highest of heights in the postseason. Of those players reportedly included Russell Westbrook and Paul George – who were both with the OKC Thunder at the time.

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According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Russell Westbrook was ready for a change of scenery following the 2019 season, and saw Los Angeles as the perfect place. But Kawhi Leonard wasn’t too interested in playing with Westbrook over a guy like Paul George.

Per the report:

“Westbrook had become a father of three the previous November, and while he’d made a home and carved a Hall of Fame legacy in Oklahoma City, the chance to live and play in Los Angeles, where grandparents and his large extended family and friends could visit every day, held deep appeal.

Teaming up with Leonard would be the fastest way there, so he placed the call, according to multiple sources. But Leonard didn’t just take the call as one native son of Los Angeles to another, ponder it and file it away.

He used it.

According to multiple sources, Leonard then called Westbrook’s teammate in Oklahoma City, Paul George, and told him he’d rather team up with him on a homecoming.

George had always longed to play in front of his family as well but had formed a close bond with Westbrook in their two seasons together in Oklahoma City and was content to stay.”

Kawhi Leonard got his wish, and was allegedly able to use Russell Westbrook’s LA interest to pry Paul George away from OKC.

Now, two years later, all three players will be battling for LA supremacy after Westbrook agreed to sign on with LeBron James and the Lakers.

You can’t script this sh*t, right? You know Russell Westbrook is going to be trying to get his revenge on Paul George and (especially) Kawhi Leonard.

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