After publicly showing lots of displeasure with the Trail Blazers coaching hire of Chauncey Billups and their continual inability to put a strong supporting cast around him, the only thing that seems certain at this point is that Damian Lillard wants out of Portland and fast. Having no shortage of suitors, one team that would be a perfect fit for Lillard is the Philadelphia Sixers, with Joel Embiid.
Already having strong dissatisfaction with Ben Simmons' ability to perform at a high level and his poor work ethic, the Sixers may be looking to make a change this offseason as well. Given all the issues both organizations are currently having with their respective stars, a trade could be the solution to this problem. Having said that, let's take a look at the two best trades the Sixers can make to land Damian Lillard and pair him with franchise super star Joel Embiid.
Damian Lillard and Robert Covington to Sixers for Ben Simmons, Tyrese Maxey, and 3 future first-round picks
Proposed trade – Sixers receive: Damian Lillard and Robert Covington
Trail Blazers receive: Ben Simmons, Tyrese Maxey, and a 2021, 2023, and 2028 first-round pick
Given Damian Lillard's continued frustrations with the Trail Blazers front office and the Sixers' public dissatisfaction with Ben Simmons, this trade seems like a no-brainer. However, there's much more involved in this deal than just a straight swap of Damian Lillard for Ben Simmons. The Sixers would be sacrificing a lot of defense by trading away Simmons and the Blazers would sacrifice a lot of scoring by trading away Lillard.
For both teams to be satisfied in this deal, the Sixers will have to give up some future draft picks and a scoring guard to fill some of the void that will be left by Lillard while the Trail Blazers will have to throw in a defensive-minded big with a nice scoring touch to soften the blow of losing Simmons' defensive prowess. With these trade packages assembled both teams might actually come out of this deal a winner.
This is a trade that rids both teams of their disgruntled stars while building towards a new and exciting chapter. This is also a move that could finally get Philly over the hump and take them all way, whereas Portland would be able to gain a young star who's still got plenty of upside and could keep them in the playoff mix. In this deal, both teams get to start over with a star that desperately needs a change of scenery and a culture change.
Sixers and Blazers swap multiple players and draft picks
Proposed trade – Sixers receive: Damian Lillard and Robert Covington
Trail Blazers receive: Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey, Furkan Korkmaz, and first-round picks through 2024
If the Blazers reject the first offer above, the Sixers can offer more in this second deal.
In this proposed trade scenario, both teams are getting a much-needed roster overhaul. The Sixers get an electric scorer and a reliable power forward/center who can be a starter or run with the second unit. With this move, the Sixers would finally have a roster that could win them an NBA title.
Having a rotation that features Damian Lillard, Matisse Thybulle, Robert Covington, and Joel Embiid would be second to none in the East and could definitely beat any team out West. Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers get a solid group of young players coming to their team with a stash of draft picks that would all contribute to them building a new chapter that would still keep them in the playoff mix.
For the Sixers, this could be a risky move, especially since they'd be taking on a couple of big contracts and giving up a lot of key rotation players. However, they are currently a contender in win-now mode, and doing all they can to maximize Embiid's championship window should be their top priority. With this roster, they would definitely be hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy in 2022. This may also be a more logical trade to facilitate if they want to pair Lillard with Embiid and form arguably the most dynamic 1-2 punch in the NBA.
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