5 Stars Joel Embiid should quietly be recruiting right now
By Tyler Watts
3. Kawhi Leonard
Joel Embiid and the 76ers might already have a championship if he was not for Kawhi. His Game 7 buzzer-beater in the 2019 Eastern Conference semifinals will always break the hearts of Sixers fans, especially because the Raptors went on to win the title.
Could the two join forces next summer? Kawhi wants to stay in LA, but can the two sides work things out? He is extension eligible, but there have been no rumors of a deal. Leonard makes $45.6 million this season and has a $48.7 million player option in 2024-25. Expect him to decline it and become a free agent next summer if the two sides cannot agree on a new contract.
The 32-year-old remains an elite two-way option when healthy, but his availability is always a question mark. Leonard has played just 230 games over the last six years combined or just 38.3 per season. His highest total is 60, and he appears set to play 50 to 55 games in the average year where he avoids a significant injury.
The Philadelphia 76ers would be difficult to defeat when their Big 3 is healthy. Kawhi Leonard offers the defense, elite scoring from anywhere on the floor, and playmaking the franchise needs around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. It would be a massive gamble on the Klaw staying healthy, but Daryl Morey is never afraid to take chances.