REPORT: Zach LaVine Named A Favorite Trade Candidate As Philadelphia Seeks Harden's Replacement

Earlier today, the James Harden saga ended, as he was dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for a handful of veteran players and draft capital returning to Philadelphia. The 76ers have already made it known that they're looking to immediately flip the assets they've gained for a third running mate alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. With the new-look Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics improving their respective rosters tremendously, Philadelphia will need a splash move to re-enter the bidding for the Eastern Conference title. Senior writer for Sports Illustrated, Chris Mannix, has pinned Zach LaVine and OG Anunoby as names to watch for the 76ers to target. Is LaVine headed out East, and what kind of return can Chicago expect for their 28-year-old star?

The Fit In Philadelphia

Zach LaVine is undoubtedly a deadly perimeter threat and scoring machine, but the jury is still out on whether or not he can coexist with surrounding star power. Just two games ago, he dropped his career-high 51 points but had 0 assists in the process. The 76ers are now without the league leader in assists per game a season ago in Harden, and don't have a true facilitating guard anywhere else on the roster. The current leader in assists for them is Joel Embiid, followed closely by Tyrese Maxey, who are also each averaging over 30 points and six assists per contest.

While LaVine's theoretical fit would seem to work alongside other scoring threats, he's too ball-dominant to share the floor with elite scoring talent, as proved by the struggling trio of he, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic over the past two seasons. The lack of playoff success or pedigree on his resume also makes one wonder if he'd be a legitimate addition to a contending franchise. Having only one playoff appearance and one lone playoff win to his name, LaVine's got a lot to prove beyond the regular season.

Chicago's Price Tag

If Philadelphia comes calling, Chicago should expect nothing less than what the 76ers received for Harden and demand even more. LaVine is younger, paid less, and locked in for a more extended contract than the Beard, and as teams have learned in recent years, paying for contention comes at a steep cost.

With DeRozan's contract expiring this summer and the Bulls unlikely to extend him, Chicago should seriously consider a soft rebuild. Moving on from DeRozan and LaVine would elevate 23-year-old Coby White and 22-year-old Patrick Williams to the franchise cornerstones, and with excess draft capital and newfound cap space, they could contend for top free agents this summer. Without LaVine and DeRozan, the Bulls would free themselves of north of $65 million annually, including $45 million each of the following three seasons owed to the former.

Should the Bulls pull the trigger on sending Zach LaVine to the Philadelphia 76ers and commit to a re-tool of their aging roster? Arturas Karnisovas is staring down the barrel of rapidly approaching decisions that will not only alter the franchise for years to follow, but will undoubtedly cost him his job if not executed properly.