Maybe the Philadelphia 76ers don't need Kawhi Leonard after all.

According to stats compiled by Andy Bailey of the Hardwood Knocks podcast via NBAMath.com, not only was the frontcourt of Joel Embiid and Dario Saric the second most effective big man tandem in the league last season, but the starting five of Embiid, Saric, Robert Covington, JJ Reddick, and Ben Simmons were so good, it was on pace to win 62 games.

Furthermore, based on advanced metrics, that lineup had an offensive rating of 127.6 – good for fifth best and trumps even the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors' death lineup.

Sadly, due to injuries, that lineup only managed to play 49 games in the regular season. Still, the team managed to win 50 games for the first time since the Allen Iverson-era in 2001 – so it's not all that bad. Thanks largely in part to the dominant rookie campaign by Ben Simmons.

However, it's also worth noting that this was their lineup during the entire postseason in which they almost got swept by the Boston Celtics, exposing some major flaws that may need to be ironed out or outright upgraded.

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76ers Joel Embiid on the bench from game one or game two of playoff series vs. New York Knicks with Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart smiling or laughing.

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76ers' Joel Embiid in front of a picture of Embiid at the postgame podium in sunglasses

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Tom Thibodeau in New York Knicks coaching uniform

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On the forefront of these concerns is the inconsistency of Covington. The defensive stalwart has been woeful from behind the arc, connecting on just 15 out of his 48 attempts during the postseason for 31%, with the rest of his numbers down as well. It's no surprise that the small forward is the centerpiece of their trade calls to the San Antonio Spurs with point forward Saric as the unfortunate sweetener.

If ever the deal pushes through, Leonard would definitely bolster the team's already vaunted defense at that position in addition to slotting in as a dependable second or third option on offense. Whether he will stay with the team for the long haul is another question.