DHJ Quick Take: The Star-Hunting Strategy
- The Pick Leverage: Daryl Morey’s acquisition of Clippers’ draft capital—including the 2028 First-Round Pick—is the ultimate chess move. As Los Angeles hovers around the 9th seed in the West, those picks gain value daily. Returning a pick to the Clippers allows them to officially pivot toward a youth movement alongside Darius Garland.
- Maximizing the Embiid Window: Joel Embiid‘s 2025-26 season (26.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG) has been a reminder of his elite status when available. However, with only 38 games played, the Sixers face a dilemma: build for the future around Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, or go all-in on a third star. Kawhi Leonard, despite his health risks, offers a higher ceiling than the current version of Paul George.
- The Clippers’ Pivot: Trading James Harden for Darius Garland at the deadline signaled a clear shift for Lawrence Frank. Moving Leonard for George and a return pick allows the Clippers to re-own their future while remaining competitive for their new arena, the Intuit Dome.
- The Ironic Exchange: Swapping former teammates Kawhi Leonard and Paul George is rare, but it reflects their diverging trajectories. While George has struggled to maintain his All-NBA form in Philadelphia, Leonard‘s efficiency in Los Angeles (27.8 PPG) remains elite, making him the “star hunt” target Morey reportedly pursued at the 2026 deadline.
An NBA team will always prefer to control its own draft picks. It’s a dynamic that’s come to define the league’s trade market. Owning another team’s picks gives a team leverage. They can make trades directly with that team and operate from a position of strength. If that team starts to flounder, the asset will be valuable to every team in the league.
A veteran GM like Daryl Morey understands this. That’s why he’s acquired several picks from the Los Angeles Clippers.
Could he be convinced to give one back if he could get Kawhi Leonard?
The Trade Proposal
Los Angeles Clippers receive:
- Paul George
- 2028 First-Round Pick (LAC via PHI)
Philadelphia 76ers receive:
- Kawhi Leonard
Why the Los Angeles Clippers Do the Deal
It was a rollercoaster season for the Clippers. At times, they looked like a disaster. They turned corners, only to regress again.
In the aggregate, they were eliminated in the play-in tournament by the Phoenix Suns. They started poorly but finished 42-40 in the regular season, ranked ninth in the Western Conference.
So, why not begin retooling for the future? The Clippers already moved James Harden for the younger Darius Garland. This feels like selling low on Leonard given his success this season, but he’s aging and notoriously injury-prone. If the Clippers could get this pick back, they could tank a season, draft a potential cornerstone, and be in a better position than they’re in now.
Should the Sixers help them get into that position?
Why the Philadelphia 76ers Do the Deal
It’s been a rollercoaster season for the Sixers, too. More specifically, it’s been quite a ride for Joel Embiid.
Embiid has been injured throughout much of the year. When healthy, he’s still an impactful player. Embiid averaged 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in 31.6 minutes per game in the regular season.
Embiid has always been an elite player when healthy. It’s just that he’s seldom injury-free. This creates a pressing situation for the Sixers.
They could go one way or the other. The Sixers could justify retooling around Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Yet, they could also justify making an all-in push while Embiid is healthy. Adding Leonard, if they can stay healthy, should make them one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference next year.
The Bigger Picture
Perhaps we’ve buried the lede.
Yes, it’s ironic that Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are getting swapped for each other. Consider it a consequence of how their careers have gone. The former teammates have always been tied together due to their similar games. Unfortunately, George is a shade of his former self, while Leonard is still in his prime.
Will that be true next year? It’s hard to say. Still, if the Sixers think they can build a contender around Embiid, they should find out.
As for the Clippers, they just need their draft pick back.
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