The 2024 NBA Draft is just a couple of weeks away. While the rest of the world is currently zeroing in on the ongoing NBA Finals action, the Philadelphia 76ers have time to be moonlighting about the rookie draft, especially given that they own a first-round selection this time around.
While the 76ers can definitely find value by keeping their 16th overall pick, the consensus belief is that the front office would try to package their selection to get a veteran commodity via trade. Philly is operating on a win-now mandate, and it simply makes more sense for them to go after more foolproof options than build a prospect from the ground up.
76ers reportedly locking in on Alex Caruso as their NBA Draft day trade target
According to recent spills, the 76ers are eyeing a potential trade that would send their No. 16 pick to Chicago for Bulls guard Alex Caruso, a player eyes by multiple teams since last year. Caruso, who made the All-Defensive Team in the last two seasons, has long been a popular name for win-now teams looking for a life on the defensive end and in the backcourt.
Chicago, despite its stern posturing, doesn’t really have a convincing bid to be a playoff contender next season with its core, making a fire sale almost inevitable and appropriate at this point. Their desire to trade Zach LaVine has been well-documented, and trading Caruso in addition to that would signal a much-needed teardown.
But before one jumps the gun, it remains to be seen whether the Bulls would cozy up to the idea of a single first-round pick being the equivalent of Caruso. Many teams would likely not hesitate to sweeten the pot and even potentially bite into a gouged price tag, but that was in the middle fo the season. The free nature of free agency could force other clubs to seek cheaper options instead.
The 76ers, however, seem willing to acknowledge and meet the Bulls’ long rumored price tag for Caruso. After all, he’s an immediate contributor who fits perfectly within the team’s dynamic, especially next to Tyrese Maxey.
