Pass or pursue Sixers trade for Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso
From Mike O’Connor of The Rights to Ricky Sanchez
Another very compelling scenario from Mike. The Sixers once again get maybe the best player in the trade, especially when you factor team context into the equation. Alex Caruso is one of the best guard defenders in the NBA and an excellent source of connective tissue on offense. Lonzo Ball is much of the same, though there are pretty severe health concerns hanging over his immediate future.
The price is once again Tobias Harris and Matisse Thybulle, which frankly is not much in the grand scheme of things. I fall on the skeptics’ side of the Thybulle debate — he’s just not good enough offensively. The Lakers probably wouldn’t play him. As for Harris, he’s an excellent player who has sacrificed a lot to embrace his current role. But he’s simply not what the Sixers need in his position to complement the Embiid/Harden/Maxey triumvirate. More passing, movement, and snappy decision-making would do them good. Getting both Caruso and Ball would be a massive victory.
The appeal for LA is obvious: remove Westbrook from the equation while adding two borderline stars to the mix. It pushes them higher up in the Western Conference hierarchy. The appeal for Chicago is equally obvious: that team is going nowhere fast. Stocking up on draft picks without even touching the LaVine/DeRozan duo is a no-brainer. Westbrook’s contract is off the books next summer.
So, I find this kind of trade… distinctly plausible. It benefits both sides. The Ball injury concerns are legitimate, but if he can return to full health… Lonzo might start for this team? He’s the kind of volume shooter and whip-smart secondary passer the Sixers need to liven up the at times stagnant halfcourt offense. Plus, can you imagine the hit-ahead passes to Maxey in transition? Sublime. A big resounding Y-E-S from me.
Final verdict: Pursue