The Philadelphia 76ers are off to a hot start this season, with the team having proven so far that it can still dominate in the East despite stronger competition. Joel Embiid continues to play at an MVP level, while Tyrese Maxey has quickly ascended into stardom. Put simply, the franchise is in a great shape in its title hunt.
However, given the front office’s posturing, it appears likely that they will continue to be on the hunt for the next big name available, especially after they somehow managed to replenish their crest of assets in the James Harden trade. Fortunately for them, two-time All-Star Zach LaVine has named the 76ers as one of his preferred destinations as he seeks to find a way out of Chicago.
Zach LaVine has named the Philadelphia 76ers as one of his preferred landing spots in a potential trade
The Bulls are once again on a middling position and a fire sale could very well be underway in the following months. And while LaVine is still signed through 2027 (with a player option on the final year), trading him would net them the most assets to kickstart a much-needed rebuild after Chicago’s brass accelerated theirs by trading for Nikola Vucevic and signing DeMar DeRozan.
Admittedly, Philadelphia will fare just fine by standing idly and dealing with what they have on the roster, but as we all know, anything can happen over the course of a season. But of course, Daryl Morey will be hard-pressed to do that given his proclivity for plucking the big names.
In that case, here is one trade proposal that has the 76ers acquiring the All-Star from the Bulls. Let’s zoom in and shed more perspective on how it could positively and negatively affect the team this season and in the foreseeable future.
76ers acquire Zach LaVine from the Bulls in this mega trade proposal
In this trade proposal hashed out by Bleacher Report, the Philadelphia 76ers acquire Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls for veteran forwards Nicolas Batum, Marcus Morris Sr., and Robert Covington, a top-four protected 2026 first-round pick via Houston, LA, or Oklahoma City, a 2028 first-rounder in 2028 via the Clippers, and Philly’s own first-round draft pick in 2029.
LaVine’s shooting splits have been below average to start the season, but he’s proven himself to be an efficient, electric three-level scorer for the Bulls since setting foot in Chicago. At his best, he’s a tremendous floor-raiser who provides shooting, shot creation, athleticism, and secondary playmaking at the shooting guard position.
Meanwhile, Batum, Morris Sr., and Covington have been welcome additions to the 76ers from the Clippers. Batum has garnered the most minutes among his compatriots, but the other two veterans have given Philly a lot of optionality off the bench.
In addition, the 76ers’ draft stock has gotten a lot more robust thanks to the Harden trade, giving the front office the assets required to make a big splash via trade.
Still, is this a fair exchange for the 76ers?
How can trading for LaVine benefit the Philadelphia 76ers
Zach LaVine’s forte is shot creation. Since donning Bulls colors, the 28-year-old has registered 24.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists on 47 percent shooting from the floor, which includes an impressive 38.4 accuracy rate on triples in 363 games with Chicago. Clearly, he has the ability to supercharge an offense with his fluid three-level scoring and presence as an effective playmaker on the secondary.
Now, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey is one of, if not the most dangerous pairing scoring-wise in the association right now. Tobias Harris has also been a reliable and efficient third option averaging north of 20 points per game while Kelly Oubre Jr. has turned in a very solid start to his 76ers stint.
That being said, Oubre is out indefinitely due to an unfortunate accident, and outside of the three main scorers, Philly is relying on wildcards to bail them out against defenses pressing down on their shot creators.
In a vacuum, the team is not exactly thirsting for more offense with their elite production on that end as a unit, but one weakness of theirs so far is three-point shooting. As of writing, the 76ers are 25th in three-point makes per contest and tied for 29th in attempts. Adding LaVine and his three-point stroke into the equation will undoubtedly give the team more variance on their scoring profile as a collective.
Why the 76ers shouldn’t look at LaVine as the answer
No offense to Zach LaVine, but the very process of determining where he can be shoehorned into the equation for the 76ers is actually an arduous one. In truth, Philadelphia has no pressing need for what he brings to the table. While the team remains far from a perfect product, their actual needs cannot directly be sourced from the two-time All-Star.
If the 76ers were to shore up their assets to make a big splash, it should be for a player who fills obvious gaps on the roster while increasing their floor and ceiling as a team. And considering that LaVine is not a primary table-setter, nor a rangy do-it-all forward, he’s simply not worth consolidating a lot of usable assets for. Philadelphia would be unwise to gamble their replenished assets just for a shiny wager.
To add to the argument that trading for him would be pretty skin-deep, the 76ers would have to be infatuated with the idea of fully committing to him for the near future while dealing with immediate pains to even be enthused about acquiring him. And as if three future first-rounders isn’t a lofty price to pay, the team would also have to part with well-fitting veterans who have suddenly become important to the team, at least this season.
Batum has already shown that he’s the perfect utility player for Nick Nurse’s system. Morris Sr. and Covington are no untouchables, but are no slouches either with the flexibility they offer in the forward positions. There’s little sense for Philly to liquidate three players playing a position in need in addition to handsome draft capital for a player who, while brilliant n his own right, offers no direct benefit to the 76ers. This rings even truer in account of the anticipated galore the franchise can commence in next year’s free agency, where they will have full control of their destiny.
Ultimately, this trade asks for too much from the 76ers to the point where the cost far exceeds the benefit. Philadelphia, at this asking price, should look elsewhere or stand pat for the meantime until a better-fitting star becomes available.
Grade: C