76ers’ Future Looks Bright After Troubling Kawhi Leonard Rumors Emerge With Clippers

How Leonard’s Situation Impacts Sixers

Philadelphia owns the rights to the Clippers’ first-round selection in 2028, so with Leonard potentially exiting and a rapidly aging roster, the team could be a disaster by that time.

The only other true star on the team is point guard James Harden, who the 76ers traded for that draft pick.

While the former MVP was able to keep the team afloat in Leonard’s absence last season, it’s hard to imagine him being at this same level three years from now.

The Clippers could be one of the worst teams in the league by that point, which would provide Philadelphia with another top draft pick on a team already filled with them.

Alongside center Joel Embiid, the roster is loaded with young talent such as guards Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and V.J. Edgecombe, so another young star could take the team over the top.

Potential Trade Candidates

The other option, which might be more suitable for a team who believes they are in contention, would be to trade the pick. Still three years away, it’s impossible to know just how good the 2028 draft class will be, so for some teams, the pick could be seen as somewhat of a lottery ticket.

There’s a very good chance that the Clippers’ selection ends up in the top five of the draft, so the Sixers could use it as the main bargaining chip for one of the NBA’s premier players.

The first name that comes to mind is Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is seriously flirting with a trade for the first time in his career.

He may be too old to fit Philadelphia’s timeline in a year or two when it’s more plausible to trade the pick, so they’d likely vie for someone much younger.

We know the Dallas Mavericks aren’t afraid to trade young stars who are widely considered among the best players in the league, so perhaps Cooper Flagg could make his way to America’s birthplace.

The Sixers have been starving for an elite wing player for decades and Flagg could be the perfect fit next to a slew of shorter guards.

McCain, Edgecombe and Flagg would be a dynamic combination that would position Philadelphia at the top of the Eastern Conference for years.

Another intriguing option could be Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans. The former No. 1 overall pick has been injured for much of his career, which could make the team more inclined to move him, especially for another top pick.

The trade would give Philadelphia another dominant force in the paint to eventually replace Embiid, and if Williamson stays healthy, he’s proven to be one of the best players in the league.

Both of these paths sound incredibly appealing, so it would be hard for the Sixers to mess it up.

The Clippers look to be imploding before our very eyes, and it just may propel Philadelphia into true title contention.