Can Zach LaVine and Tyler Herro get the 76ers over the hump?
Zach LaVine and Tyler Herro are easily attractive win-now assets that the Philadelphia 76ers should be more than amenable to acquiring. And while giving up draft compensation in addition to Tobias Harris and James Harden (whose market is quickly drying up) may be a gamble, both players are simply too good of floor-raisers to gloss over.
Volume shooters usually perform at the expense of efficiency, but that’s not so much the case with LaVine, who’s been one of the most efficient scorers in the league in the last four seasons. The Bulls guard combines athleticism with unique shooting flair and also touts reliable secondary playmaking that should come in handy for the 76ers, especially in clutch situations when defenses start to gang up on Joel Embiid.
Herro, meanwhile, could collaborate with Tyrese Maxey and LaVine to form the league’s most explosive three-guard rotation. Hypothetically, he could come off the bench for the Sixers to handle main scoring and facilitating duties in the second unit where his defensive weaknesses can be masked a bit. He could (and should) close games eventually, giving Philly a nearly unguardable offensive setup with him, LaVine, Maxey, and Embiid.
With Harris being expendable now more than ever before and Harden becoming a tougher one to trade as time passes by, the 76ers should see a deal of this sort as an iron they should strike while still hot. After all, this arguably gives them the best shot at doubling down on winning immediately with Embiid still at the peak of his powers.