Could Kawhi Leonard join Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey? Explore the blockbuster trade scenarios that could change the outlook of the Philadelphia 76ers
In a Bleacher Report article discussing offseason moves, the possibility of Kawhi Leonard landing with the Philadelphia 76ers is floated as an intriguing "what if" scenario that isn't as unlikely as it seems on the surface.
Leonard is still producing at an elite level for the Los Angeles Clippers. This season, he averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while shooting 50.5% from the field. Despite previous injury concerns, Leonard has played at least 65 in two of his last three seasons and has looked great as a scorer, although he isn't the same defensive stopper he was in San Antonio.
According to shot-tracking data, players shoot nearly 40% from three and 67% at the rim when guarded by Leonard this season; both numbers are above the league average.
If Embiid is the outgoing piece, the move loses a lot of its luster. Philadelphia would be swapping one star for another, but it would remove a player crucial to its half-court sets. Philadelphia has an 118.5 offensive rating with Embiid and a 112.9 rating without him. When he is on the court, the offense runs through his ability to create mismatches and generate efficient shots from all three levels.
Leonard can score at a high level, but he does not replace Embiid's size, paint gravity, or the way he bends a defense simply by having the ball in his hands. In this version of the deal, the Sixers would still have the same issues, just with a different player at the head.
If George is the piece going out and Embiid stays, then the fit looks much cleaner. Leonard could slide into George's forward spot while Philadelphia keeps its core intact around Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. That matters because Maxey is still at his best when the floor opens up, and he can attack downhill, and Leonard gives the Sixers a wing who can score with and without the ball in his hands.
This version of the trade feels like Philadelphia getting a piece that could make them a series contender in the East. A core of Embiid, Maxey, and Leonard, along with the developing VJ Edgecombe, would be one of the most offensively capable teams in the league.
The money wouldn't be simple either way. Embiid is making about $55.2 million per year, George is making $51.7 million, and Leonard is making $50 million. Those salaries are close enough to imagine the framework of a trade, but not so close that the trade could be simple. Any deal would still need matching salaries, extra pieces, and draft capital.
The Clippers would have a solid reason to try and make a deal happen, though; with an aging core and no draft capital of their own for the foreseeable future, Los Angeles could get off of Leonard's contract and shift to a rebuild if they feel like the current situation is not salvageable.
For Philadelphia, the reason to do it is clear as well. If the team believes that a core of Embiid and Maxey still gives them a chance to contend, then Leonard is the kind of wing who can raise the ceiling of a team immediately. But the best version of this over is the one that keeps Embiid in Philadelphia.
If the Sixers trade Embiid, they may get a different star player to try to build around. But they don't necessarily get a better team. If they can keep Embiid and acquire Leonard, then their championship window could stay open for the next few seasons at least.
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Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached at dixonwesley286@gmail.com.