The 2026 offseason has officially begun, and boy is it off to a fiery start. The fireworks are now on full display, with two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard getting traded back to the Raptors as the Clippers kickstart a full-n rebuild. Yet somehow, it is the Philadelphia 76ers which will be having the biggest smile in the aftermath of this blockbuster deal despite not being privy to that exchange.
The 76ers own the Clips' unprotected first-round pick in 2028 while also having the right to swap draft picks in 2029. In those years, LA will be in the infancy stage of its rebuild. Winning games will probably be secondary for them during that period, especially since they are now starting to replenish their lost draft capital.
Sure, the new NBA draft lottery rules might have casted a thicker cloud on the loftiness of the value of those draft picks, but the 76ers will still gladly take the possibly high selections they are slated to receive from the Clippers. After all, they could very well find themselves in a position where they can draft high despite being a highly competitive team.
The 76ers come out as the biggest winners from the Kawhi Leonard blockbuster trade
The Clippers turned in a rather impressive campaign this past season. While they did not make the playoffs in the jampacked Western Conference, they managed to finish with a winning record despite starting their campaign with a ghastly 6-21 win-loss card. Leonard was the main reason for their turnaround as he ended the year with an MVP-caliber season of his own.
LA, however, seems to have acknowledged that its championship window has passed. As such, they will now be pivoting to a full youth movement with the likes of Darius Garland, Bennedict Mathurin, and Keaton Wagler, among others. That is a good enough base as they slowly add to their young core, but in the immediate future, they will most likely struggle to rack up wins.
That obviously benefits the 76ers. On its own, Philly will not be in the position to get a chance to snag a high draft pick as it is firmly in the mix for playoff contention in the Eastern Conference and then some. But thanks to the Clippers handing them their draft selections in 2028 and 2029, the 76ers do not need to bottom out just to secure an appealing draft pick.
Toronto will savor having Leonard once again, but the 76ers will reap the most valuable prize from this blockbuster trade –– ensuring that the Clippers' draft picks that redound to their benefit are now likely to end up being extra premium.
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