Kawhi Leonard Rumors: Spurs, Raptors in Serious Trade Discussions involving DeMar DeRozan

What's the story?

The Kawhi Leonard drama just ceases to amaze. Over the past few days, rumors and reports have suggested that the Toronto Raptors have become the favourites to land the 2014 NBA Finals MVP.

Also read: 5 Possible Trade packages for Kawhi Leonard

In case you didn't know

This unusual drama surrounding the normally stable San Antonio Spurs organization has been going on more than one would have initially anticipated when all the confusion and disagreement regarding Kawhi's injured quad began back in December.

Heart of the matter

As he has done most of the summer, Yahoo Sports' Shams Charania was among the first to report this:

San Antonio and Toronto are engaged in serious talks on a trade centered on Kawhi Leonard and DeMar DeRozan, league sources tell Yahoo.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 18, 2018

An offshore betting side had the Raptors' odds at even to land Kawhi, a few days back. That compounded to Senior NBA Writer for ESPN - Brain Windhorst - saying more on Zach Lowe's the Lowe Post podcast:

"I think they [Toronto Raptors] are in the driver's seat for Kawhi because the Lakers have given up and the Sixers have given up."

What increases the suspicions is that DeRozan very recently deleted all the posts of his Instagram page. And just a few minutes after Shams' tweet, ESPN's Rachael Nichols tweeted images of DeMar DeRozan's most recent IG stories:

As reports involving the Raptors possibly trading DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard escalate, here is DeMar’s IG story: pic.twitter.com/Wbb72mw0qR
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) July 18, 2018

The Spurs have been in trade talks previously with the Los Angeles Lakers and even the Philadelphia 76ers but clearly, with neither have they come so close to a deal. Just check out the vocabulary used in Adrian Wojnarowski's most recent tweet regarding the same:

Toronto is close to a deal to acquire Spurs All-Star Kawhi Leonard, league sources tell @ChrisBHaynes and me. Trade package includes DeMar DeRozan, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 18, 2018

Less than 10 minutes after that, he dropped another Woj bomb which might shed a lot of light on DeMar DeRozan's IG stories.

Both key players are aware that a deal may be imminent, league sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/r31nnsffSO
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 18, 2018

Just as we added Woj's second tweet to our story, Shams was back:

Full story posted 2:44 a.m. CT on Leonard/DeRozan trade: Only final snags in discussion between Spurs and Raptors could prevent completion. https://t.co/EQsoAL9Ai7
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 18, 2018

This is a huge deal for the Toronto Raptors, especially given what's at stake. They are trading for a former 2-time Defensive Player of the Year who has no interest to play in the city of Toronto, according to ESPN's Chris Haynes. More importantly, no team seems to have any concrete information about Leonard's health status.