The Philadelphia 76ers are running out of time to trade James Harden before Media Day starts. If they want to get a good return for him while they still can, Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey proposed a trade between the Sixers and Chicago Bulls that would give them another scorer.
Bailey proposed the following trade in a September 24 story.
Sixers receive: Zach LaVine
Bulls receive: Harden, Furkan Korkmaz, 2029 Sixers First-Round Pick
Bailey then explained why LaVine would fit well with the Sixers.
“LaVine’s shortcomings may have been magnified for the mediocre Bulls, but he would be one of the league’s better second (or maybe even third, given Maxey’s development) options if playing alongside Embiid.
“Over the last four seasons, he’s averaged 25.5 points with a 55.8 effective field-goal percentage. With the amount of attention Embiid commands inside, LaVine’s efficiency could get even better in Philly,” Bailey wrote.
LaVine is entering the second year of a five-year, $215 million contract he signed with the Bulls. LaVine has made the all-star team twice in his NBA career, and while he’s proven to be someone who can score and make plays, he doesn’t have much playoff experience to his name.
That could change should he play for the Sixers. Plus, he gives the Sixers a scorer who fits Embiid’s timeline better than Harden does.
Sixers Among Teams Interested in Buddy Hield: Report
On September 20, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Buddy Hield was made available via trade by the Indiana Pacers. On September 21, Charania then revealed that the Sixers were among the teams who are interested in acquiring Hield via trade on “The Rally.”
“The Lakers were long rumored for Buddy Hield, but you look at teams like Dallas, Philly, Milwaukee. Those are the types of teams that could definitely use a shooter like Buddy Hield. I think they’ve had a level of interest in him over the last several months, and of course, no deal has happened yet,” Charania said.
“The Lakers were long rumored for Buddy Hield… You look at teams like Dallas, Philly, Milwaukee. Those are the types of teams that could definitely use a shooter like Buddy Hield.”
NBA Insider @ShamsCharania on potential landing spots for Hield.
If LaVine isn’t on the table, and the Sixers can’t get anyone on his level or better, Hield wouldn’t be the worst consolation prize in a potential Harden trade. The Pacers likely aren’t looking to take Harden back, so a potential three-way trade that would send Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers could potentially do the trick.
James Harden Still Prefers Clippers: Report
On September 22, Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer compared the Portland Trail Blazers situation with Damian Lillard to the Sixers’ situation with Harden, talking about how the Sixers have little time left to trade him before media day. Fischer added that Harden still wants the Clippers.
“Since the initial July talks stemming from Lillard’s trade request did not result in a deal to his preferred destination of Miami or another potential landing spot such as Brooklyn, the beginning of training camp — and media day Oct. 2 — has loomed as the unofficial deadline for Portland to part with Lillard and start a new Blazers era in earnest. That’s even more so than the ongoing dynamic in Philadelphia, where James Harden still hopes to be moved to the LA Clippers,” Fischer wrote.
The Clippers don’t exactly have the most appealing players to offer in a trade besides Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Hield could potentially be the Sixers’ return in a three-way trade between the Sixers, Clippers, and Pacers.
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Proposed Trade Sends Sixers $215 Million Star for James Harden & Furkan Korkmaz