NBA Exec: Blazers Would 'Get Killed' for Damian Lillard-Ben Simmons Trade with 76ers
If they're looking to save face while trading Damian Lillard, getting Ben Simmons back in the deal may not be the best course of action for the Portland Trail Blazers.
David Aldridge of The Athletic spoke to an unnamed NBA team executive who expressed doubt regarding whether the Blazers could positively frame a swap for Simmons.
"He’s still really good," the executive said of the Philadelphia 76ers star. "But he’s so broken right now, you’re going to get killed if you do that. And, you’re the guy who replaced Dame."
A fourth first-round exit in five years has naturally led to questions about Lillard's future in Portland. Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reported "the enormous backlash from the Portland Trail Blazers' process to hire a new coach and his concerns on whether a championship contender can be built have become factors that may push" him out.
During Monday's episode of the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN's Windhorst downplayed the likelihood right now of Lillard leaving, reporting the six-time All-Star doesn't appear to be angling for an exit.
The money matches up rather nicely in a straight swap of Lillard ($39.3 million salary in 2021-22) and Simmons ($33 million), but their respective trade values are trending in the opposite direction.
Simmons' stock is probably as low as it has ever been after he averaged 9.9 points, 8.6 assists and 6.3 rebounds in the conference semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks. As an offensive presence, the 24-year-old was also a no-show late in games.
Lillard, on the other hand, averaged 28.8 points and 7.5 assists during the regular season before putting up 34.3 points and 10.2 assists per game in the first round against the Denver Nuggets.
In addressing possible trade ideas for Simmons and the Sixers, The Athletic's John Hollinger brought up a different Blazers guard: CJ McCollum. Hollinger dismissed Lillard and Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal as realistic targets:
"Maybe they’ll become available someday, but today isn’t that day. Forget about whether the Sixers have enough draft assets or whatever to get a deal to the finish line; there is no interest in the transaction from the other side yet, which is a big issue for a Sixers team racing against time."
Simmons' playoff meltdown probably obscures his value a little because he's still a three-time All-Star and two-time All-Defensive player. Given his age, he'd also make sense as a new cornerstone for the Blazers were they to trade the 30-year-old Lillard, a move that would assuredly signal a total rebuild.
But getting Simmons alone would be a lopsided deal, potentially inflaming a fanbase already upset with seeing one of the best players in franchise history leave.
