Kawhi Leonard Reportedly Sabotaged Russell Westbrook In 2019

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Kawhi Leonard
Russell Westbrook initially wanted to team up with Kawhi on the Clippers, according to a new report from ESPN.

Everyone who is a fan of the NBA remembers what went down in 2019 as Kawhi Leonard signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. Pretty well every analyst knew that he wanted to come home to L.A. which meant the Toronto Raptors were off the table. Not to mention, the Los Angeles Lakers had just added Anthony Davis, so the Lakers didn't make all that much sense. Instead, Leonard went to a team where he could help build something special. In the meantime, he was also able to get Paul George traded to the Clippers, from OKC.

Not long after George's exodus from the Thunder, Westbrook was also able to force a trade and in the end, he got sent to Houston where he played with former teammate James Harden. According to a new report from ESPN, however, it appears as though Westbrook was the one who wanted to play with Kawhi, all along.

Kawhi Leonard Reportedly Sabotaged Russell Westbrook In 2019
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As Ramona Shelburne reports, Westbrook had sent a voicemail to Kawhi telling him that he wanted to play with the two-time champion in Los Angeles. Leonard never replied to the message and instead, relayed the message to Paul George, stating that he would rather play with the former MVP finalist instead. From there, calls were made and George was sent to the Clippers, all while Westbrook was left scrambling ahead of the 2019-20 season.

Now, Westbrook is finally home in LA, although he will be playing for the Lakers alongside Anthony Davis and LeBron James. Westbrook has the ability to get the last laugh in this situation, and there is no denying the battle for Los Angeles will be incredible this year.

Kawhi Leonard Reportedly Sabotaged Russell Westbrook In 2019
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About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current editor-in-chief of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. It was here where he began to hone his craft, putting his journalism degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, to good use. Since that time, he has documented some of the biggest stories in the hip-hop world. From the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef to the disturbing allegations against Diddy, Alex has helped HotNewHipHop navigate large-scale stories as they happen. In 2021, he went to the Bahamas for the Big 3's Championship Game. It was here where he got to interview legendary figures like Ice Cube, Clyde Drexler, and Stephen Jackson. He has also interviewed other superstar athletes such as Antonio Brown, Damian Lillard, and Paul Pierce. This is in addition to conversations with social media provocateurs like Jake Paul, and younger respected artists like Kaycyy, Lil Tecca, and Jeleel!
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