The Philadelphia 76ers were finally able to qualify for the playoffs after a brief pause, but a couple of spots for the first round of the postseason remain up for grabs. As such, the play-in tournament rages on, and true to its billing, the mini tourney has not disappointed so far. After Philly came out as the victors on Thursday night, the Warriors eliminated the Clippers in the 9-versus-10 matchup out West in a neck and neck affair.
Golden State did more than just win, though, at least for the 76ers. After all, in eliminating LA, the veteran squad led by Stephen Curry might have just forced the Clippers to re-think their future. As a result, Kawhi Leonard might just end up being available for taking in the coming offseason –– something which the 76ers could take advantage of.
If the push comes to shove, Daryl Morey and his cohorts could look into the prospect of striking a deal for the two-time Finals MVP. The 76ers have the salaries to match Leonards', and most importantly, they have sufficient ammo to lure the Clippers into a deal that would put them in a better position to rebuild for the future.
The 76ers could resume their trade pursuit of Kawhi Leonard this offseason
The Clippers collapsing at home against the Warriors should be the final straw for their era defined by Kawhi. When he arrived in LA back in 2019, no one could have expected that they would only be able to muster three playoff series wins until 2026. It is high time for both camps to move on from each other.
The 76ers reportedly attempted to strike a blockbuster deal with the Clippers for Leonard before the trade deadline, but obviously nothing panned out. Thus, it is clear that interest is not the problem on the part of Philadelphia's brain trust. Meeting LA's expectedly lofty demands will be the main determinant of whether or not they can get the job done.
As this season has proven, Leonard is still an elite talent who can lift a franchise by himself. He almost singlehandedly led the Clippers to the playoffs despite starting the season with a putrid 6-21 win-loss card, which is one of the best in-season turnarounds from a team in a single campaign despite ultimately failing to qualify for the postseason.
Obviously, everything is conjectural at the moment, but if there is one thing that is apparent, it is that Kawhi Leonard might soon be on the move. And depending on the moving parts (and how far they can go in the playoffs), the 76ers should be an active bidder in a prospective sweepstakes for the future Hall of Famer.
Add us as a preferred source on Google