Should the Chicago Bulls seriously consider trading for James Harden?

Could a blockbuster trade for James Harden be the solution to Chicago's playoff woes?

© Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Former MVPs don’t become available on the market too often, so some believe that the Chicago Bulls should seriously consider trading for James Harden. After all, he’s a three-time scoring champion with a career average of nearly 25 points per game. With his skillset and experience, he could be the piece the Bulls need to return to contention in the Eastern Conference.

However, Harden will not come cheap, and he also brings a fair share of baggage. With a hefty contract, trading for him could be an expensive gambling move. To make a deal for Harden worth it, the Bulls would have to go all-in on winning an NBA title as soon as possible.

Zach LaVine for Harden

Should the Bulls’ decision makers, led by vice president Arturas Karnisovas, decide to pull the trigger on a deal for Harden, they should seriously consider including Zach LaVine in a potential trade package. The 6-foot-5 wingman is already one of the league’s pre-eminent scorers and playmakers, so his addition to the Sixers may be just what the doctor ordered for Joel Embiid.

Sending LaVine away in a deal for Harden could be a win-win scenario for both teams since it would give the Sixers some much-needed youth and an additional scoring punch while giving the Bulls one of the league’s most dangerous backcourts with Harden and DeMar DeRozan as their go-to guys.

#Bulls Zach LaVine for #Sixers James Harden.

Who says no? pic.twitter.com/POISf2xW5q

— Die-Hard Chicago Bulls Fans (@DieHardCBfans) August 17, 2023

Potent offense

Adding Harden to the Bulls might create an offense that’s too potent to handle for opponents. With the combination of Harden and DeRozan in the backcourt, Nikola Vucevic at center, and perhaps Patrick Williams and Torrey Craig at the forward positions, the Bulls could just put together a squad capable of making a run at the Eastern Conference title.

Not too long ago, the Bulls were at their best during the 2021-2022 season when Lonzo Ball was quarterbacking the team, resulting in plenty of ball movement and open looks for shooters. Though Harden is nowhere near the kind of defender Ball was, he could have the same, or even better, effect on the Bulls’ offense.