The Philadelphia 76ers have poured nearly every ammunition they had — and then some — to go all-in this season. True enough, many, if not most, are heavily expecting them to have an inside track to the championship, a feat that has been elusive for the franchise for more than four decades.
Most win-now teams intentionally shackle themselves to maximize their championship window, but the 76ers have exercised more prudence than other franchises under the same tenor. Need a refresher? Well, the James Harden trade is just one indication of Daryl Morey and the front office also looking into future flexibility while also bolstering their present.
As you might remember, the team somehow managed to flip the disgruntled All-Star into a barrage of expiring contracts that allowed them to sign Paul George and a handful of draft picks from the Clippers, a team that has gotten a lot weaker this season, at least on paper. Oh, and their chances to make the playoffs have dimmed a lot.
The 76ers could have a shot at a top draft pick in the near future
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Kawhi Leonard will be sidelined indefinitely to begin the season for the Clippers, immediately casting a shadow in their early-season escapades, especially in a very tough and deep Western Conference.
How’s this relevant for the 76ers? Well, while the franchise does not own the Clippers’ own pick next year (a privilege belonging to Oklahoma City), they do own LA’s first-rounder in 2028, which is unprotected, as well as the right to swap picks in 2029.
That’s still four years from now, but the Clippers have no other way to remain relevant up to that point. Leonard is never going to be healthy enough to catapult them into anything meaningful, and he isn’t getting any younger either. Same goes for James Harden, who has showd signs of decline in the past few seasons.
Clearly, Daryl Morey fleeced LA. That he still managed to coup those assets for the future for a star who didn’t really garner much interest from other teams aside from the Clippers is a stroke of genius no matter how you look at it.