As long as a resolution remains elusive for the Philadelphia 76ers on the glacial James Harden front, all we can conjure are various guesswork and speculations on 76 different things that could transpire from here on out.
However, considering the Sixers’ posture as a franchise intent on winning now, we can probably already shave half of that figure as tenable scenarios. In fact, being even more circumspect endorses the most probable of all: that the 76ers land another All-Star caliber player in return for their disgruntled star to maximize their championship window.
The Philadelphia 76ers will most likely target an All-Star replacement in any James Harden trade
Snagging an All-Star type replacement for a massive flight risk in Harden will definitely be tedious, but reading the pulse of the many teams in dire need to make swift changes of their own, it’s still realistic.
In fact, there should be a handful of teams out there brewing their own Harden-like situations aside from the Portland Trail Blazers and their already-messy standstill regarding Damian Lillard’s trade request this summer.
Anyhow, one recent proposal presents a wild scenario between the 76ers, Trail Blazers, and a couple of other teams that will send two All-Star caliber players to Philadelphia and satisfy the organizational edict to win a title as soon as possible.
76ers form a new super team in this wild four-team blockbuster trade proposal
"Philadelphia 76ers Receive: G Zach LaVine, G Tyler Herro, and 2029 Second-Round Pick (from POR) Portland Trail Blazers Receive: G James Harden, G Kyle Lowry, F/G Jaime Jacquez, F Nikola Jović, 2028 First-Round Pick (from MIA), 2030 First-Round Pick (from MIA), and 2030 Second-Round Pick (from CHI) Miami Heat Receive: G Damian Lillard, C Jusuf Nurkic, 2029 Second-Round Pick (from PHI), and 2028 Second-Round Pick (from CHI) Chicago Bulls Receive: F Tobias Harris, F Caleb Martin, G Keon Johnson, 2029 First-Round Pick Swap (via PHI), and 2030 First-Round Pick (from PHI)"
In this proposed deal, the Philadelphia 76ers acquire two All-Star caliber cogs in Zach LaVine and Tyler Herro in addition to a future second-rounder from the Portland Trail Blazers.
Portland gets a haul for sending Damian Lillard to the Heat, obtaining movable expiring contracts in James Harden and Kyle Lowry in addition to two intriguing prospects and significant draft compensation from both Miami and Chicago.
Miami finally gets its hands on Lillard while solidifying its frontcourt with Jusuf Nurkic. The Heat also get a couple of future second-rounders. Meanwhile, Chicago gets a first-rounder and a swap pick from the 76ers while netting vets Tobias Harris and Caleb Martin, as well as young guard Keon Johnson.
How does this deal benefit the 76ers? Well, talent-wise, it’s not difficult to pinpoint.
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.
Why the 76ers should steer clear of Zach LaVine and Tyler Herro
Objectively speaking, Zach LaVine and Tyler Herro have a lot more similarities than differences in their style of play. In this trade proposal, the 76ers basically get a pair of score-first guards to try and mitigate the theoretical absence of Harden, who was far and away the best table-setter in the league last season.
The 76ers are banking on Maxey to further his growth as the primary ball handler. That very cause will not be too warm to the presence of LaVine and Herro, who thrive with the ball in their hands. While both can tenably settle for less prominent, yet still major off-ball roles, the 76ers could have simply just resorted to cheaper commodities with more defensive acuity if they wanted reliable and uncompromised spot-up shooting.
LaVine and Herro, even in tandem, do not address a glaring weakness of the 76ers, which is reliable playmaking. Harden in that regard has been nothing short of incredible, and both players simply do not have the makings of a go-to facilitator.
In addition, parting with a first-rounder and giving up pick swap rights is a very risky proposition for a 76ers franchise with an increasingly pressing need to solidify both its present and future, if only to maintain a cushion if ever Embiid wants out.
Ultimately, in view of the franchise’s missive to keep up with their rivals and win a title as soon as possible, acquiring LaVine and Herro should be pretty attractive. That being said, if it ever transpires, the Philadelphia 76ers would be wise to forecast potential overlaps and holes with those two in the fold, notwithstanding their talent.
Grade: B+