Does this trade make sense for the Philadelphia 76ers?
At this point, I really do not see why the Philadelphia 76ers should keep Ben Simmons. He has proven time and time again that he is a liability on the offensive-end of the court and while he still has a ton of potential to grow, the 76ers do not have time to wait on him.
This team needs production from Simmons now, which is why parting ways with him this offseason is a smart move because Philly is not going to get offensive production from Ben Simmons anytime soon. He is a project right now and championship contending teams do not have time to be dealing with projects, especially when it pertains to their second or third best player!
Trading Ben Simmons would definitely hurt the 76ers long-term success, especially since Ben Simmons is only 24-years-old and about to turn 25, but adding Damian Lillard to their roster allows the 76ers to contend for titles now and for a handful of years to come.
Joel Embiid is playing the best basketball of his career right now and given his injury history, Philly really needs to capitalize on their MVP candidate playing so well because who knows how long he will be able to remain healthy. Damian Lillard is also an MVP candidate, so pairing these two guys up and having Tobias Harris as a third option instantly makes the 76ers title favorites next to the Nets and Lakers heading into the 2021-22 season.
READ MORE: Predictions for NBA Trade Rumors: Beal, Lillard, McCollum, Porzingis & Siakam
Quite honestly, there really is not anything not to like about this trade with the Portland Trail Blazers from the Sixers’ point of view. They would be giving up a lot of defensive production with Simmons and Thybulle, but they would be trading five young pieces for a solidified, championship contending player and one of the best pure talents in the league right now.
What Damian Lillard has done in games over the last year-and-a-half is quite remarkable and there is a reason why the last few minutes of a game that he is playing in is “Dame Time.” Lillard led all scorers this past season in Clutch Time Scoring, defined as the final five minutes of a game with a point difference of five or fewer, and is one of the most lethal scorers in the league.
READ MORE: Predictions for NBA Trade Rumors: Beal, Lillard, McCollum, Porzingis & Siakam
Adding Lillard to the Philadelphia 76ers in place of Ben Simmons puts this organization in a much better place than they are right now and the best part about this trade, other than the fact of becoming a true championship contender, is that Lillard is only 30-years-old. He is in the midst of his prime right now and is only getting better, which is scary to think about!
The Philadelphia 76ers need to do everything they can to try and acquire Damian Lillard this offseason, even if they have to trade every single draft pick that they can. Players like Dame do not hit the open market very often and he has the ability to lead the 76ers to a championship. Ben Simmons does not, which is why they should not be hesitant to make this deal.
