The Philadelphia 76ers will retain their remaining draft capital from the 2023 James Harden commerce with the Los Angeles Clippers regardless of the NBA’s sweeping punishment of the Clippers, in accordance with the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The NBA announced that Los Angeles will forfeit 5 first-round picks in 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033 after an unbiased investigation discovered the group violated the league’s salary-cap circumvention guidelines involving Kawhi Leonard.
The Clippers’ penalties initially created some uncertainty round Philadelphia’s draft belongings as a result of the 76ers maintain the precise to swap their very own 2029 first-round choose with the Clippers’ choose acquired within the Harden commerce.
Nonetheless, a league supply confirmed that Philadelphia’s swap proper stays intact.
That distinction is critical as a result of the Clippers’ personal 2029 first-round choice was not among the many belongings eliminated by the league. As an alternative, the NBA is taking a 2029 first-round choose that Indiana owes Los Angeles as a part of the 2019 commerce that despatched Ivica Zubac to the Clippers.
Philadelphia acquired its rights to future Clippers draft capital as a part of the Harden commerce in October 2023. The Clippers acquired Harden and P.J. Tucker from the 76ers in change for Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Nicolas Batum, KJ Martin and a number of draft belongings.
The 76ers’ means to retain the 2029 swap proper may change into significantly worthwhile as a result of Los Angeles is now with out its personal first-round picks from 2029 by way of 2033.
The Clippers completed 42-40 and ninth within the Western Convention in 2025-26 earlier than coming into a significant roster transition. They subsequently traded Leonard to the Toronto Raptors after the NBA investigation produced penalties that included a $30 million positive and suspensions for proprietor Steve Ballmer, president of enterprise operations Gillian Zucker and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank.
Leonard averaged 27.9 factors, 6.4 rebounds and three.6 assists in 65 video games final season, taking pictures 50.5% from the sphere and 38.7% from three-point vary whereas incomes All-NBA Second Group honors.
Philadelphia, in the meantime, has undergone an equally important offseason transformation. The 76ers acquired Jaylen Brown from Boston, signed LeBron James, and retained Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey because the central items of the roster.
