Kawhi Leonard wait game raises Lakers Clippers stakes: Kawhi Leonard deserves time, anxiety and patience. He is the best NBA player today, a free superstar agent who can take over the games at both ends of the court. He can hit the big shot - ask Philadelphia and the Golden State War. He can take on the impossible defense mission - ask Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Leonard's pairing with LeBron James and Anthony Davis would give Lakers, even with the most conservative estimates, three of the top 10 players on the planet - perhaps an unprecedented talent.

Kawhi Leonard wait game raises Lakers Clippers stakes

So wait.

But Leonard's rhythm in free agents did not match the rest of the market. The days of meetings with several localities and fantastic presentations have disappeared. It's pointless to shoot new scenes from "The Sopranos" as New York Knicks had done for James, or to print shirts and create an altar "That's Your Life," as Clippers did for Blake Griffin . There is no time.

By the end of Sunday, only 11 of the 40 free agents of The Times did not agree with the deals. By the end of the month, only six were left - Leonard, DeMarcus Cousins, Danny Green, Marcus Morris, Kelly Oubre Jr. and JaMychal Green.

It is the disadvantage of having a salary room and looking for Leonard. You're not the first person in the grocery store with the storm of free agents on the horizon. No, stay in the parking lot in the hope that the shelves will not be lifted as soon as you get inside.

Lakers, much more than Clippers, have their Plan A and Plan B closely linked. Whether Lakers signs Leonard and completes his list of more players than minimum, or loses, and probably completes his list of more players on minimum contracts than no.

It is not an indictment of their thinking - it is firmly the way they have - but it is a cost that they have to pay. Seth Curry, Warriors All-Star's assorted brother, Stephen Curry, looked very good to get out of the bench and score in the Lakers' ass. The Lakers talked about it.

Instead, he took a four-year contract to play for Dallas, letting the Lakers sign the shooter Troy Daniels - a skillful player who will not affect games almost as much as Seth Curry.

Austin Rivers, a combo guard who would have been valuable because he could have occupied two positions on the Lakers chart, decided to reunite with Houston.

There are still available talents. Danny Green, who spoke to the Lakers and Clippers, seems pleased to wait to find the right place to land. Morris and JaMychal Green are both versatile players in front of the pitch. Lesser known players, such as former T.J. McConnell or a veteran guard like Iman Shumpert is still looking for teams.

The Lakers, if they lacked Leonard, could try to buy Goran Dragic from Miami. Maybe they'll take Cousins ​​a flight and tie him up again with Davis.

Shelves are not empty - there are not many premium ingredients left.

Although some of the costs for role-playing players in the early stages of the free agency might not be ideal, in a perfect world for the Lakers (and, to a lesser extent, for Clippers), either Leonard would have rushed his decision or the rest of the teams would have slowed down, allowing both LA franchises to have as many options as possible.

But that did not happen, leaving both front offices standing and waiting.

It's good to do. It's not the easiest thing you have to do.