5 stars the 76ers could target following James Harden trade

5 stars the 76ers could target following Harden trade

5. DeMar DeRozan — SF (Chicago Bulls)

Another player whom the 76ers can zoom in on for a potential trade this season is Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan, who is in the final year of his contract before hitting unrestricted free agency next year.

As mentioned, Chicago could be in line for a fire sale before the trade deadline, and should they go the logical route, they are almost guaranteed to shop DeRozan to avoid the risk of losing him for nothing. If so, the 76ers should pounce on that opportunity if they aren’t able to score other better-fitting stars like, well, LaVine, his teammate.

Sure, DeRozan also has a skill set that is quite the challenge to incorporate given the 76ers’ scoring profile, but his days as a one-trick pony are ancient history. Since arriving in Chicago (or in San Antonio, really), the savvy scorer has grown into an all-around machine, capably filling in as a primary facilitator when needed while remaining one of the best and most efficient isolation scorers in the league.

The lack of three-point shooting will prompt an offensive recalibration for Philadelphia, but DeRozan already has the experience and skill to negate defenses sagging off him from rainbow country due to his threat as a rim runner. Also, his ability to initiate the offense should provide a nice kick and much-needed variance to an offense still reliant on a two-man dynamic.

Despite all that, DeRozan’s contract should ensure that the 76ers won’t have to break the bank to make the deal work. It’s not going to be cheap either, but the Bulls won’t have much leverage anyway in trying to gouge his price tag. Also, acquiring him will not preclude the team from retaining its financial flexibility.