Philadelphia 76ers Receive: G Damian Lillard
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: G/F Ben Simmons, PHI 2023 2nd Round Pick, 2023 2nd Round Pick (via ATL, CHI or BKN, from PHI)
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: F Jaren Jackson Jr., F Matisse Thybulle, G/F Dillon Brooks, G Jaden Springer, G De’Anthony Melton, PHI 2022 1st Round Pick (Unprotected), PHI 2024 1st Round Pick (Swap, More Favorable to POR), PHI 2026 1st Round Pick (Swap, More Favorable to POR) and PHI 2027 first-round pick (Unprotected)
Now, this is definitely a trade that would surely break the minds of NBA fans around the globe! Not only would we see Damian Lillard on the move to Philadelphia, but we would see Ben Simmons teaming up with Ja Morant in Memphis and a plethora of young talents going to Portland to try to do something with C.J. McCollum. Let’s try to sort this mess out.
Damian Lillard’s situation in Portland is very intriguing right now because while he has remained loyal and has stated he is remaining in Portland, he has been very careful with his choice of words of basically saying, “for the time being.”
The MVP-caliber point guard wants to win and if the Blazers cannot prove they are a contending team this year, it is very plausible to believe that Lillard will request a trade sooner than later.
He may very well be happy living in and playing for the Trail Blazers, but Damian Lillard also wants to win with the team he is on, which is something Portland has not done come playoff time over the last several years.
READ MORE: Predictions for Latest NBA Trade Rumors: Simmons, Siakam, Dragic, Lillard
Given all the offseason chatter of Dame possibly being on the move, the new hiring of Chauncey Billups, and the Blazers not really doing anything to improve their roster drastically, this could end up being the final season we see Lillard in a Blazer’s uniform.
In terms of moving Ben Simmons, it seems inevitable at this point that Philly will be moving him, but Portland may not be the team he winds up going to. Why Memphis would want Simmons is a question to be answered later on, but they definitely have the assets to acquire him should they want to.
Being one of the youngest teams in the league, the Grizzlies have a ton of valuable talents on their roster and they have also been building rather quickly, as they went 38-34 last season, including a trip to the first round of the playoffs.
READ MORE: Predictions for Latest NBA Trade Rumors: Simmons, Siakam, Dragic, Lillard
Pairing Ben Simmons with Ja Morant could be a strong move for this team to make, but they would have to sacrifice key talents like Jaren Jackson Jr., Dillon Brooks, and De’Anthony Melton to acquire him.
There is a lot to talk about in terms of this trade for all three teams involved and it is definitely an intriguing scenario to consider, especially given the 76ers’ interest in Damian Lillard, but is this a trade that makes sense for all three teams?
