Does this trade make sense for the Portland Trail Blazers?

First and foremost, the Trail Blazers need to make sure that Lillard is on board with any move the franchise makes. While there will certainly be Lillard trade rumors this offseason, my bet is on him remaining in Portland for at least one more year. With that in mind, adding Simmons would present an interesting debacle for the Trail Blazers to pick apart.

READ MORE: NBA Rumors: Ben Simmons trade value is ‘plummeting’ with poor playoff showing

Simmons would unquestionably give Portland a two-way forward that can give them tantalizing production on the defensive end. He would also be able to orchestrate the offense, easing some pressure off of Lillard on the offensive end. But the issues lies within Simmons’ inability to score on the offensive end. If the Trail Blazers are going to move on from CJ McCollum, they could desire a shooter in return to pair with Lillard.

Getting a developmental player in Milton would provide Portland with streaky scoring, but would that be enough to complete the trade. I guess it all depends on how the Trail Blazers feel about Simmons, and whether or not they believe they can help him grow as an offensive player.

Despite my hesitancy to make the trade if I’m the Trail Blazers, they may not be able to get a better return from McCollum via trade. Maybe getting Simmons could be the beginning of an active offseason for Portland as they add more shooting around Lillard.