At first glance, the package the Philadelphia 76ers received from the Los Angeles Clippers in the James Harden trade is exceptionally underwhelming. The Sixers received four of the Clippers' power forwards in Robert Covington, Nicolas Batum, Marcus Morris, and KJ Martin, and none of those players particularly move the needle for a team hunting for a championship to convince Joel Embiid to stay for the long haul.

But the Sixers made it a point to haggle as much as they could and squeeze an additional first-rounder from the Clippers to arm themselves with more assets should another All-Star-caliber player be available on the trade market. This player doesn't have to be a strict replacement for Harden; after all, Tyrese Maxey looks like he's breaking out into a legitimate All-Star player, and the Sixers still have De'Anthony Melton and Kelly Oubre Jr. to fill in minutes at the two.

Of course, the Sixers will want to acquire someone who will be a seamless fit in the starting five alongside three guaranteed starters in Joel Embiid, Maxey, and Tobias Harris. They will need a big-time scorer who won't be played off the court due to a lack of defense, and they will need someone who can do damage off the ball given how many touches both Embiid and Maxey will command.

With all of those qualifiers set, here are three players the Sixers can target to help their push for a championship this season.

1. Lauri Markkanen

Now, there are no indications that the Utah Jazz are shopping the best player on their team. Despite being in the middle of a rebuild, the Jazz will need someone to fill the team's go-to-guy role, and Markkanen has been more than up to the task in his stint in Salt Lake City thus far. Empowered by a freer role in the offense as well as more of a perimeter-centric role, the talented Finnish forward has averaged 25.6 points and 8.7 rebounds on 49.7 percent shooting from the field and 39.5 percent shooting from deep — incredible numbers.

Markkanen does so much of his damage coming off screens on the perimeter and finding himself in a position to make quick-witted decisions. His dangerous scoring ability from all three levels opens up a lot of scoring opportunities for him, leading to huge numbers. While he's been more ball-dominant with the Jazz, he does plenty of damage still while moving off screens, something that could make him a perfect fit alongside the willing screen-setting of Joel Embiid.

There's been plenty of off-ball movement in the Sixers' new offense under head coach Nick Nurse, so it stands to reason that they will be able to maximize Lauri Markkanen's skillset, preventing much of a drop-off, if any, in a smaller offensive role alongside the reigning league MVP. His size also makes him viable on defense, his 7'0 frame acting as a huge deterrent for any would-be scorers.

The price is what will scare off the Sixers; given how cheap Markkanen's contract is relative to his production, the Jazz will find it difficult to find the value they'll be wanting in any trade involving the Finnisher. Moreover, the Sixers may want to target someone who's under contract for longer, which Markkanen isn't, as he's only under contract until the end of the 2024-25 season.

But it's hard to find someone more talented than Lauri Markkanen who could be available should the Jazz's season head south. And if it comes to that, the Sixers should go all-in on their pursuit of the versatile scoring forward.

2. Zach LaVine

In the aftermath of the James Harden trade, one of the most popular hypothetical trades fans have come up with is an agreement between the Sixers and the Chicago Bulls on a trade for Zach LaVine. LaVine is a natural scorer, a legitimate bomber from deep with smooth ball-handling that allows him to be self-sufficient on offense.

Unlike his former teammate Lauri Markkanen, LaVine also gives the team additional playmaking punch, having averaged 4.3 dimes in his tenure as a Bull thus far. The two-time NBA Slam Dunk champion loves to run the pick-and-roll, and he can slice and dice defenses that have been stretched by Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, giving him plenty of room to operate as both a floor-spacer and a slasher.

LaVine is also under contract for at least one year longer than Markkanen, with the Bulls guard having a player option for the 2026-27 season. This could be more appealing to the Sixers despite LaVine's huge salary, as it gives them more long-term security.

3. Pascal Siakam

This may be the least seamless fit among the three options in this piece, but one thing's for sure, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse will know how to maximize Pascal Siakam's skillset. Siakam flourished under Nurse as a do-it-all power forward, and this skillset of his makes his more suited to be a prominent support player on a contending team, which is the exact role he'll be playing for the Sixers in this hypothetical world.

However, Siakam isn't the floor-spacer Markkanen and LaVine are, as he requires more of the ball on his hands to do damage. But maybe this is only what we've become accustomed to from Siakam especially in the aftermath of the Toronto Raptors' 2019 championship win, with the team needing him to assume a heavier offensive burden. Perhaps Siakam could be a more efficient scoring weapon when tasked with less responsibility on offense.

But again, it will be difficult, as is the case for any team, to negotiate with the Raptors for Pascal Siakam's services. Moreover, he will be entering free agency at the end of the season, which makes acquiring him such a risky proposition.