The Philadelphia 76ers would be much better off not expecting that they will realistically be in play for a blockbuster trade this summer, but it is certainly worth noting that the front office previously zoomed in on Kawhi Leonard as a target before the trade deadline. As such, there is a slim chance that they will revive their interest in the superstar should he become officially available for taking this offseason.
That being said, Philly is not alone on that island. Rumors say that the Golden State Warriors, desperate to maximize their chances of winning with Stephen Curry's superstar window slowly closing, are likewise eyeing Leonard as a trade target. The Dubs have taken on a very ambitious stance as the offseason begins, and it appears that they are willing to break the bank to chase the two-time Finals MVP.
Unlike the 76ers, the Warriors objectively had a disappointing campaign. The finished the regular season with a middling 37-45 win-loss card, which slotted them at 10th place in the jampacked Western Conference. Despite winning their first play-in game (against Leonard and the Clippers, at that), they lost their subsequent qualifier, which booted them out of the playoffs.
The 76ers face a spicy foe in the Kawhi Leonard trade sweepstakes
While Leonard is already closing in on his 35th birthday, he turned in what was arguably his most dominant campaign yet this season. He averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 505 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from beyond the arc. More importantly, he appeared in 65 games for the Clippers, and he eventually ended up being named to the All-NBA Second Team.
This season alone proved that Leonard is still an elite talent in the NBA when he is in uniform. That is why it does not come off as a surprise that Daryl Morey had his sights set on him. While it remains to be seen whether Mike Gansey and his crew would carry the same interest, the prospect of trading for him must at least pique their interest given that the Clippers could pivot to a full-on youth movement this summer.
If Philly wants to be the frontrunner, though, the front office will have to be even more aggressive and take more risks. After all, Golden State is in a state of flux and will probably not hesitate to trade anyone outside of Curry to land their dream superstar pairing. Heck, they are also rumored to be eyeing LeBron James, which signifies just show strong their itch for a new superstar is.
For now, Kawhi Leonard remains a pipe dream trade target for the 76ers. But with the right alignment of the stars (and some screwing up on the part of the Warriors, among other possible bidders), they should be able to get the job done, though unlikely.
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