By now, it feels inevitable that the Philadelphia 76ers will have to replace James Harden this season. If you follow the NBA, you’re aware of the situation. Harden is due for departure. He says that his relationship with the team’s general manager, Daryl Morey, is “irreparable.”
Replacing him won’t be easy. Harden is heavily criticized as a player. Much of that criticism is justified. Harden is a ball-dominant point guard who doesn’t offer much defensive value.
Still, he’s one of the best playmakers in basketball. Should the Sixers try to replace him with another playmaker? Perhaps. On the other hand, the 76ers could generate enough offense between Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Tobias Harris.
They could simply replace Harden positionally – not functionally. With that in mind, don’t be surprised if the Sixers are in the market for any good guard this season.
How about Alex Caruso of the Chicago Bulls?
NBA Trade Proposal — Philadelphia 76ers Land Alex Caruso
Chicago Bulls Receive: G/F Furkan Korkmaz, F/C Montrezl Harrell, G/F Jaden Springer, 2029 First-Round Pick (PHI)
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: G/F Alex Caruso
With that said, we don’t envy Morey. The Sixers are backed into a corner. In time, they may be forced to rebuild. For a fanbase that just endured The Process, that would be difficult.
If the Sixers are eventually forced to move Embiid, the 76ers will have a second-round exit to show for years of shameless tanking. On the other hand, it isn’t all bad. If the Sixers trade Embiid, they’ll receive a tremendous haul.
That will give them the tools that they need to rebuild their roster. They’ll also have a head start with Maxey on the roster. It could be worse: the Sixers could be the Bulls. After all, this team didn’t make the playoffs in 2022-23.
NBA TRADES & RUMORS: Alex Caruso, Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers Updates
The Bulls should rebuild but don’t have an Embiid to move. For them to rebuild properly, they will have to be clever – and a little bit lucky.
Should trading Caruso be their first move?
Why The Chicago Bulls Do This Deal
In all actuality, it doesn’t matter if it’s their first move or not. The Bulls should rebuild. Realistically, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic should all be heading elsewhere.
Chicago may want to wait until the deadline and give this core one more change. Fine – but they can’t afford to wait any longer than that. Let’s assume Chicago is rebuilding.
Flipping Caruso for an unprotected first makes sense. That’s effectively all that’s happening here. Certainly, the Bulls won’t have much interest in either Korkmaz or Harrell.
NBA TRADES & RUMORS: Alex Caruso, Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers Updates
They may have some interest in Springer. He’s only 21. Springer is an impressive athlete with room to grow into a quality NBA player. Still, Chicago is interested in the draft capital above all else here. Should the Sixers part with this pick?
Why The Philadelphia 76ers Do This Deal
Remember, we’re assuming that Harden has been dealt here. So, every Sixers fan should stop and think before protesting. We know that you’re low on draft capital. If you trade Harden, you should have a little more to spare.
With that in mind, we reserve the right to modify this deal. Perhaps the Sixers flip one of the picks from the Harden deal for Caruso. Either way, the broader point is this: Caruso would be a good addition to this roster. He’s arguably the best defensive guard in the NBA.
Caruso would be a sensible addition to any team with championship aspirations. Meanwhile, the Sixers could still have those aspirations even after losing Harden. Embiid is the league’s reigning MVP.
NBA TRADES & RUMORS: Alex Caruso, Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers Updates
Maxey is a star in the making. By putting a stronger group around them, the Sixers could stay in the mix. If not, they may have another star to replace next summer.
