The Sixer Sense
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Should the Philadelphia 76ers trade for Kawhi Leonard?

By Owen Nelson

SAN ANTONIO,TX - JANUARY 13 : Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs bows his head during the playing of the National Anthem before the start of his game against the Denver Nuggets at AT&T Center on January 13, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that , by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO,TX - JANUARY 13 : Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs bows his head during the playing of the National Anthem before the start of his game against the Denver Nuggets at AT&T Center on January 13, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that , by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) /
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With all the buzz of a potential Kawhi Leonard trade, should the Philadelphia 76ers enter the race to attain the 2014 Finals MVP?

In their first year of trying to win with a young group, the Philadelphia 76ers have won 47 games with five games remaining on the season. Adding arguably the best perimeter defender in the league could propel the 76ers into championship contention. But is it the right move to make?

On paper, Kawhi Leonard would be a decently large upgrade over Robert Covington. They are both elite on defense, but Leonard is also an elite offensive talent, where Covington suffers from inconsistency and struggles in the paint.

Last season, Leonard averaged 25.5 points per game whilst knocking down 38 percent of his three-pointers.

Despite his skill level, Leonard has rarely seen the court this season due to an injury that is even more mysterious than that of Markelle Fultz. Leonard has been limited to just nine games as a result of a groin injury. Before trading for the 26-year-old, the 76ers must be sure this injury is behind him, and won’t impact him going forward. However, Leonard has only played more than 66 games in a season twice in his seven-year career.

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Additionally, Leonard hasn’t appeared to be a great teammate this season. Some of his teammates have questioned whether or not he’s actually hurt. Tony Parker came out and said his quad injury was ‘a hundred times worse’ than Leonard’s, yet Parker returned to action in November.

Also, Leonard’s contract expires after the 2018-19 season with a player option for an extra year at a shade over $23 million. That player option will almost certainly be declined as Leonard could make upwards of $40 million per year on a potential new contract.

The 76ers have already given big bucks to Embiid and Covington, and with Simmons’ and Fultz’s in a number of years, would it be smart to invest that much money in an injury-prone player who appears to be a bad teammate?

Potential Trade Package

Leonard is a top-10 player when healthy, but given the circumstances of what’s happened and since his contract expires next offseason, it shouldn’t take a lot to trade for him. The Spurs may receive a similar, or slightly better, package than what the Indiana Pacers received for Paul George — a high-end starter and a young prospect.

The Spurs would likely demand Dario Saric, possibly Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot/Furkan Korkmaz as well as a future pick. I know Leonard is a great player and all, but trading away Saric is intolerable; he’s the glue-guy who must be kept at all costs. Saric has been one of the most improved players in the league this season and has become one of Philly’s most important players.

If Leonard fully recovers from his strange injury and Fultz finds his confidence to shoot and make three-pointers, this team could walk to the NBA Finals. Handing another weapon to Simmons could result in yet another scary combination. But losing Saric could do more harm to the team.

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To conclude, I think the 76ers should hold back from trading for Leonard. I understand that top tier players don’t become available for trade all too often, but the 76ers have built a great nucleus and there’s little point to try and disrupt that.