NBA Mock Trade Lands Sixers Four-Time All-Star

A potential starting lineup for the Suns next season includes Booker, Jalen Green, Royce O'Neale, Dillon Brooks, and Mark Williams. The four-time All-Star is still in his prime, though a decrease in talent has Phoenix headed closer to a rebuild than a playoff campaign. On top of that, the Suns are already competing in a power-heavy Western Conference.

Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley suggested that the Suns should consider a rebuild.

“So, the Suns could opt to just finally ditch this dream and start from scratch, inheriting a fascinating 21-year-old talent in McCain plus three unprotected future firsts from teams with very uncertain futures ahead of them," Buckley wrote. "Getting back George's albatross contract would be a drag, but if Phoenix realizes it must bottom out to ever get on the right path, then it should do what bottom-feeders do and be willing to take back bad money in order to collect as many rebuilding tools as possible.”

Pros For the 76ers 

If the 76ers are focused on fighting for a championship next year, acquiring Booker would be a favorable decision. Last season, Booker averaged 25.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 7.1 assists over 75 games. 

While Jared McCain had an impressive 23-game run in his rookie year, the sample size is too small to determine whether the 21-year-old could break out into an All-Star talent. The loss of future first-round draft picks would be a heavier hit, though it may be worth doing if Booker can elevate the franchise to a championship and keep them afloat for the seasons to come.

Overall, in this hypothetical deal, the 76ers would need to make a decision on prioritizing the present or the future. If Philadelphia can assemble a core of Booker, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid, it's likely the franchise will maintain a high ceiling for the next five years.