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    Home»NBA»Los Angeles Lakers»“Boy, They Dodged a Massive Bullet” – Los Angeles Lakers Were Fortunate to Not Land Kawhi Leonard in 2019, Claims NBA Exec
    Los Angeles Lakers

    “Boy, They Dodged a Massive Bullet” – Los Angeles Lakers Were Fortunate to Not Land Kawhi Leonard in 2019, Claims NBA Exec

    Jordan SamarBy Jordan SamarSeptember 4, 2025No Comments3 Mins Read
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    Los Angeles, Rob Plink, JJ Reddick, NBA
    Sep 25, 2024; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka (left) and coach JJ Redick at press conference at UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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    There’s some relief among Los Angeles Lakers fans that their front office didn’t sign Kawhi Leonard when he was a free agent in the summer of 2019, especially as the two-time NBA champion, who has an extensive injury history, was recently implicated in an alleged salary cap-related fraud involving Steve Ballmer and the Los Angeles Clippers.

    Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers
    Sep 30, 2024; Inglewood, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) talks with team owner Steve Ballmer during media day at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

    “The Lakers wanted Kawhi badly,” the NBA exec told Ashish Mathur of Lakers Daily. “Boy, they dodged a massive bullet by not landing him. You think Rich (Paul) and LeBron are hard to deal with? Uncle Dennis (Dennis Robertson) is even worse. He thinks Kawhi is the second coming of Jesus.”

    “The Lakers dodged a massive bullet by not getting Kawhi. The guy barely plays, doesn’t market the team he’s on, and now he’s in the news for the wrong reasons for the second time since signing with the Clippers. This has been a huge headache for Ballmer and Co.,” he added.

    LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers
    Mar 26, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates his game-winning shot against the Indiana Pacers with teammates at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

    Not acquiring Leonard in 2019 worked out well for the Los Angeles Lakers, as they won the NBA title in the Disney Bubble, while the Los Angeles Clippers have only one Western Conference Final appearance to show for it. 

    Los Angeles Lakers legend opens up on the Luka Doncic era

    Fast forward to today, and the Los Angeles Lakers are entering a new era. With LeBron James entering his 40s, the team is expected to lean heavily on Luka Doncic, starting this upcoming season, and former center Pau Gasol is excited to watch it all unfold.

    Los Angeles Lakers
    Mar 22, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) on the sidelines against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

    “It’s great. Obviously, we were all thrilled, shocked, and excited last season when the trade happened,” Gasol said on Spectrum Sportsnet. “It’s great to have Luka in a Lakers uniform and having that anchor for the next many years to come. Super excited for the team. Let’s see how we can take advantage of the team right now and try to have another run at it.”

    Kawhi Leonard Kawhi Leonard News Los Angeles Lakers Los Angeles Lakers News
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    Jordan Samar

    Jordan Samar is an experienced sports writer from the Philippines. Before writing for Hardwood Heroics and Gridiron Heroics, he has written for FOX Sports PH and ClutchPoints. Other than writing for Basketball and American Football, he is also covering other sports like Formula 1, tennis, and soccer.

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