Zach Lavine and OG Anunoby Could Be Options For The Sixers
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 17: Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls is defended by O.G. Anunoby #3 of the Toronto Raptors during the first half at the United Center on October 17, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois.
Sixers fans woke up to the news today that James Harden was finally being traded. After an off-season full of drama, he is finally another team’s problem. The Sixers shipped him along with PJ Ticker and Filip Petrusev to LA for multiple first-round picks, a pick swap, and Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Nic Batum, and KJ Martin. The players they got back are nothing game-changing. But the picks could be a big deal because it means they now have the assets to bring in another max player.
And Chris Mannix from Sports Illustrated is putting out a report that will make Sixers fans very happy. He said he is hearing about two players being attached to the Sixers. Zach Lavine and OG Anunoby.
Of the two, Zach Lavine is probably the most immediately exciting for fans. Lavine has averaged at least 24 points in each of the past 4 seasons and is averaging over 24 so far early in this season. But don’t sleep on Anunoby either. He does not have the scoring prowess Lavine does, but is a prolific defender and would bring much-needed athleticism to the Sixers.
Chris Mannix expanded on his thoughts when he joined Andrew Salciunas earlier today:
“Those two 1st round draft picks from the Clippers are incredibly valuable on the open market. The two names I have been getting texts about early on, and this is all speculation, are Zach Lavine in Chicago, and OG Anunoby in Toronto. In Lavine, you would get a scorer and maybe more importantly another ball handler… And Anunoby, look if you are going to win anything in Philadelphia you have got to stop Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in Boston, and you have to stop Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton out in Milwaukee. Anunoby is that type of versatile defender. Those are two names I have been hearing about to keep an eye on for Philadelphia.”
As Mannix said, it is just speculation for now. But Lavine is already the subject of trade rumors out in Chicago. And if one of those names becomes available, the Sixers now have first-round picks they can move to be competitive in any bidding war for one of them. They took a guy who didn’t want to be here and was not going to help the team and turned him into bench depth, and the ability to acquire star talent.
The Sixers of course still need to use those assets in a way that helps the team. But if names like Lavine and Anunoby are being thrown around, that is a good sign.
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Evaluating All 9 Assets in the Return Package for James Harden
Daryl Morey finally executed the deal that Philadelphia 76ers fans knew would eventually come. The return package for James Harden from the Los Angeles Clippers included four players, four draft picks, a draft swap, and salary cap flexibility.
The Sixers also included P.J. Tucker and Filip Petrusev in the deal.
Evaluating The Return Package
Are the Sixers a better team than they were yesterday? It’s difficult to say. They lost a starter in Tucker and a relatively unknown piece in Petrusev. They also waived Danny Green for the roster flexibility to execute the deal.
Tucker averaged over 26 minutes in 11 postseason games for Philadelphia in 2023. He provided strong defense and physicality and veteran leadership. His offensive shortcomings diminished his value as a player, however, especially at age 38.
There’s no guarantee that the NBA players they acquired will even play for the 76ers let alone become key contributors. Expect to see some typical NBA salary cap gymnastics in the aftermath of this blockbuster deal.
What do the Clippers get? An aging former superstar who has been an unprofessional disruption to three different NBA teams since 2021.
Salary Cap Space and Future Flexibility
Bob Cooney spoke on The John Kincade Show about the return package for James Harden.
“None of this is helping them now. Are these things bundled together that maybe helps them get a player this year with all these assets? Maybe. Is there more to come. There probably has to be.” -Bob
There is no significant advantage on the court for the 2023-24 Sixers in the immediate aftermath of the trade. The Clippers ultimately used their leverage to keep Terance Mann, who was at the center of trade rumors throughout the offseason.
The value of the trade is about the long-term future of an organization.
“Could it help in the future? Yes. It frees up money. You could use all of these assets maybe to get a player with the money you have later this season or maybe sometime soon.” -Bob
Will the Sixers be aggressive in free agency in 2024? They have the cap space to do it if any big names are interested in playing in Philadelphia.
Will they pursue a trade in season? What does each of these assets mean?
Andrew Salciunas, “The Choonis,” has done it all at the station - screening calls, working events as a member of the street team, producing 7 days a week, doing updates, and now hosting his own show. Now with a wife and kid, his life experiences are far different than when he first started, but this “regular guy” knows how to relate to anyone. He writes about the Flyers, Phillies, Sixers, and Eagles.