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Will Kawhi Leonard Part Ways With Jordan Brand

There has been a lot of buzz around Kawhi Leonard this season, for a lot of reasons. His stellar play, we’ve gotten used to, wasn’t part of it though.

Leonard is still out with a nagging and slowly healing leg injury and there have been reports that Leonard wants to leave San Antonio.  But San Antonio isn’t the only franchise he could be leaving when the 2018/19 season starts. He could leave Jordan Brand, too. His contract with Jordan, that earns him less than $500,000 per year, will expire on October 1st.

The strange thing is that Kawhi already had an agreement with Jordan Brand on a shoe and apparel deal, but it sounds like an extension of that contract has broken down. This means Leonard, similar to Giannis Antetokounmpo before this season, could become a free agent in the sneaker game. Even though Leonard is a two-time defensive player of the year, a Finals MVP and member of two All-NBA first teams, Jordan’s current extension offer does not include a Leonard signature shoe, a deal he could be seeking elsewhere.

Via ESPN:

“Jordan Brand, and Leonard’s representatives came “very close” to completion on a new four-year extension worth more than $20 million. But discussions broke down abruptly because representatives for Leonard didn’t feel that the new deal reflected the forward’s accomplishments and standing within the league, sources said.”