Kawhi Leonard is set to send the Philadelphia 76ers back into an uncomfortable place.
According to Shams Charania, Leonard’s trade back to the Toronto Raptors is expected to be finalized in the coming days, a move that would put the 35-year-old right back in the conference where he once delivered one of the most painful moments in Sixers history. For Philadelphia, that means the old wound from Game 7 of the 2019 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals could be reopening fast.
The NBA’s response to the messy Leonard situation has already landed. The Clippers were hit with a $30 million fine and lost five first-round picks, stretching from 2029 through 2033.
Leonard himself was fined $700,000 for his role in the salary cap circumvention scandal. But the punishment, at least in practical terms, does not stop Toronto from bringing him home.
That’s the part that should have Sixers fans uneasy.
If Philadelphia and Toronto cross paths in the postseason, the memory that comes rushing back is obvious: the 2019 series that ended 4-3, capped by Leonard’s absurd buzzer-beater. In that matchup, Leonard was unstoppable. He put up 34.7 points, 9.9 rebounds and four assists per game while shooting 53% from the floor.
The version of Leonard heading back to Toronto is not the same player who carved up the Sixers then. His health has declined in recent years, and the expectation is that he won’t be able to overwhelm opponents the way he once did. Even so, his return adds another dangerous layer to an Eastern Conference that already looks crowded with talent.
The East is no longer just a conference the Sixers can look at and feel comfortable about. The league’s old assumption that the West is the tougher road is starting to tilt, and Philadelphia is feeling that shift. The Sixers may have built a star-heavy roster of their own, but their competition is loading up too.
Even before Leonard’s move is officially complete, the conference is packed with headline names. LeBron James somehow landed in Philadelphia.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Klay Thompson will suit up for the Miami Heat. Paul George could be a perfect fit with the Boston Celtics.
Peyton Watson adds to a Cleveland Cavaliers roster that kept former Sixers playmaker James Harden. And the reigning champions still figure to matter plenty when the Larry O’Brien Trophy is decided at the end of the 2026-27 season.
The New York Knicks, aside from Mitchell Robinson leaving the franchise, also look ready to contend at the top of the East.
So while the 76ers have clearly improved for the coming season, Leonard’s return to Toronto only sharpens the reality in front of them. The path to ending a 43-year trophy drought was never going to be easy. With Leonard back in the conference, it looks even steeper.
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For Philadelphia, the issue is bigger than another former player taking a shot on a podcast or television segment. It speaks to the same nagging uncertainty that has followed Embiid through much of his prime, with Max Kellerman also among those who have raised similar concerns about his approach and durability. As long as the Sixers are built around Embiid, every comment like this lands with extra force because it cuts straight to the one question that never seems to go away. [Read more 🡒]