The Philadelphia 76ers previously pursued a trade for then-Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard before the trade deadline, but they must be relieved that they did not follow through on that rather impulsive interest. Now, the All-Star finds himself at the mercy of uncertainties, as he now faces the possibility of getting his contract voided or suspended for an entire season, as ESPN's Shams Charania recently spilled on the Shump Street Podcast.
76ers will not have to worry about Kawhi's looming consequences
Most people might have already forgotten about it now, but the 76ers –– still led up top by Daryl Morey at that juncture –– registered their strong interest in striking a deal with the Clippers to acquire Leonard before the deadline. Philly justified trading Jared McCain by obtaining more draft capital to put them in position to make a blockbuster swap, and the two-time Finals MVP seems to have been one of their targets back then.
Instead, they abandoned that trade front, and the Clippers eventually decided to ship the superstar away to Toronto, where he previously won a championship. The 76ers certainly dodged a massive bullet in that regard; otherwise, they could have been the ones burdened by the prospect of him missing an entire year of gameplay.
The 76ers probably feel relieved about abandoning Kawhi pursuit
Last season, Leonard proved that he remains one of the best players in the league regardless of position, nearly catapulting the Clippers into the playoffs singlehandedly in the jam-packed West despite his team kicking off its campaign with a putrid 6-21 record. While LA ultimately missed the postseason, he asserted himself back into the conversation as an MVP-caliber franchise player.
However, given the controversy surrounding his contract with the Clippers and the league's ongoing investigation, it simply is not worth it for the 76ers to dip their fingers into such a nebulous situation. Now, the Raptors –– while having expressly stated their willingness to absorb the risk of the consequences that may arise –– are the ones burdened with the big unknown.
Availability has always been an issue that has confounded and prejudiced the 76ers year after year due to injuries, and while this one is not exactly injury-related, it might end up entailing an even less ideal scenario. It would have been a death knell for this team to give up significant assets for Leonard, only to see the superstar miss most, if not the entire season.
With this what-if having already been dodged with finality, the 76ers can look forward to their championship bid next season. Luckily, they were able to acquire Jaylen Brown instead of Kawhi Leonard, arming them with a more secure option to bolster their title quest.
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