The relationship between the San Antonio Spurs and their star forward in Kawhi Leonard has been a well-documented one this season since he’s only played nine games for the team. However, things could be about to get a lot more concerning for Spurs fans hoping he’ll still be a part of the team next season.

Despite his absence from the court this season, many still regard Leonard as one of the best forwards in the league who could be the focal point of the vast majority of teams in the NBA. The only problem is, he might not be with the Spurs for much longer.

Back in March, Leonard cleared the air and denied talk of friction between him and the team, in an attempt to put to bed any speculation of him possibly moving away from the team this summer, but apparently, this isn't the case.

According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Michael C. Wright, via NBA.com, the Spurs are worried that the forward's camp may be trying to steer him to a bigger-market team in the NBA, potentially to either Philadelphia, New York or Los Angeles, which is also Leonard's hometown.

Their sources have also said that general manager R.C. Buford is constantly losing sleep over how and why the relationship with Leonard has deteriorated. Whatever they decide to do with him, it's bound to have a big impact on their roster.

Despite the quadriceps injury that has kept the forward out of action for all but nine games of the season and the relationship problems that have come with it, there is a strong belief that the Spurs want to give him a new contract to stay with the team beyond next season. He currently has one year remaining on his current deal.

Naturally, for a player of Leonard's quality, a supermax contract may be needed in order to keep him in San Antonio, as, if he was to hit free agency in 2019, this is the type of deal he might be able to receive from some teams.

This, in turn, would have an immediate impact on who the Spurs keep, and who they trade away or cut in order to accommodate such a contract. If the worse happens for the Spurs and he doesn't sign a new deal, they will have to trade him away in order to not lose him in 2019 for nothing.

Seeing him playing in either Philadelphia, New York or Los Angeles would be an incredible sight, but San Antonio is likely to do everything in their power to keep him at their franchise as well.

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