Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
With Damian Lillard reportedly considering asking for a trade, these are the teams who could get the Trail Blazer’s attention with a compelling offer.
After their early exit from the 2021 NBA Playoffs, the Portland Trail Blazers knew they’d face a pivotal offseason. It just got a whole lot more dramatic.
Talisman point guard Lillard is pondering a trade request, according to a report from Yahoo! Sports. His worries over building a championship roster have grown, while backlash over the impending hiring of Chauncey Billups hasn’t helped his confidence in the Blazers franchise.
If Lillard follows through and requests a trade, these five teams should be able to offer Portland something big enough to convince them to let the All-Star go.
5. Philadelphia 76ers
Before the playoffs, the biggest barrier to the Philadelphia 76ers completing a trade for Lillard would have been their unwillingness to part with Ben Simmons in the deal. The tables have turned since then.
Simmons’ time in Philadelphia has turned utterly sour. His lack of killer instinct and lack of scoring played a major role in the team being bounced from the playoffs. Now, more than ever, a trade involving the point guard looks possible.
In terms of assets the Blazers could receive for Lillard, Simmons is up there with the best of them. He has clear flaws in his game, but he’s young enough at 24 years old to develop a more well-rounded game.
As it stands, he’s an excellent passer and defender. His shooting needs a lot of work and his confidence needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. Portland could easily convince themselves they can get out of him what the 76ers couldn’t. Billups received praise for his work with Paul George with the LA Clippers. The Blazers may bet on him making the difference for Simmons.