76ers trade Ben Simmons to Portland and get Damian Lillard in return

And finally, the moment you all have been waiting for — the Philadelphia 76ers trade Ben Simmons to Portland for Damian Lillard.

So, first off, a lot would need to happen in order for Damian Lillard to want out of Portland after constantly saying he is staying this year, but with his future definitely being clouded at this point and the Trail Blazers being favorites to land Ben Simmons, this trade scenario is not as crazy as it may sound. 

For months now, the 76ers have been looking to move Ben Simmons and with trade talks getting more intense around the young 3x All-Star, Philadelphia is going to look to do everything they can to add an All-Star talent in a trade for him.

The 76ers really do want Damian Lillard, which is why Daryl Morey and this front office is going to push hard to get a deal done with the Trail Blazers. 

READ MORE: Predictions for Latest NBA Trade Rumors: Simmons, Siakam, Dragic, Lillard

The 76ers forming a duo of Lillard and Embiid would surely be competitive in the Eastern Conference, but for the Trail Blazers, this could mean the end of an era. Damian Lillard leaving not only takes them out of “contention” consideration in the Western Conference, but this could also result at the end of CJ McCollum’s time there. 

There really would be no reason for the Trail Blazers to keep McCollum with Simmons, which could result in them going through a complete rebuild process with Ben Simmons being at the center of everything.

The real question marks with trade talks between the 76ers and Trail Blazers though revolves around the fact that the 76ers want Lillard, but the Trail Blazers would likely want to pair him with Simmons. 

READ MORE: Predictions for Latest NBA Trade Rumors: Simmons, Siakam, Dragic, Lillard

On the other side of things, the Trail Blazers could be willing to trade CJ McCollum instead of Ben Simmons, but the 76ers really want Damian Lillard.

It is going to be interesting to see what transpires over the next several weeks in regards to the Sixers’ trade talks, but the one move that would have the most impact on the 2021-22 season would definitely be if the 76ers can pull off a trade for Damian Lillard.