Getty Ben Simmons remains on the Sixers' roster despite rumors that Portland wants him.
Philadelphia 76ers fans shouldn’t start picking out Damian Lillard jerseys. The six-time All-Star is in no hurry to leave Portland. In fact, his preference is for the Trail Blazers to keep him and trade for Ben Simmons.
According The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Lillard would like to team up with Simmons in Rip City to form a new, more dynamic backcourt. Simmons would instantly upgrade the NBA’s worst defense, per Charania, while allowing a high-volume shooter like Lillard more opportunities to fire away since Simmons can’t shoot.
The odd man out? C.J. McCollum. The Sixers and Trail Blazers actually discussed a potential swap prior to outgoing general manager Neil Olshey getting fired. They had the “framework” of a McCollum-Simmons trade in place but the deal fell apart when Philadelphia asked for “multiple draft picks and multiple draft swaps.” Charania wrote:
Sources say the Trail Blazers, under Olshey, discussed the framework of a trade for Simmons, moving CJ McCollum, a first-round draft pick and a young player such as Nassir Little or Anfernee Simons to Philadelphia. The 76ers, sources said, at one point asked the Trail Blazers for McCollum and multiple draft picks and multiple draft swaps, which Portland rejected.
Damian Lillard would like to play with Ben Simmons, according to @TheAthletic
Sixers discussed trade with Portland: Ben for CJ McCollum, first round pick and young player like Nassir Little or Anfernee Simons, according to @TheAthletic
Portland has begun the search for a new front-office leader to replace Olshey, so it’s unclear what their next move is. Or how much sway Lillard might have in personnel decisions, although conventional wisdom says they would want to do everything in their power to keep Lillard happy.
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McCollum Has Ties to Philadelphia Area
McCollum has loose ties to the area having played his college ball at Lehigh University, a private research school located about 80 minutes from Philadelphia. The Ohio native enjoyed a stellar career there, highlighted by a 30-point performance in a 75-70 first-round upset for No. 15 Lehigh over No. 2 Duke in the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
CJ McCollum was always a problem
Seven years ago today, the junior dropped 30 PTS for No. 15-seeded Lehigh and upset No. 2-seeded Duke (via @marchmadness)
When Portland visited Philadelphia back on November 1, McCollum talked about seeing old friends on the East Coast. Lehigh head basketball coach Brett Reed was in attendance that night, along with some members of the team.
“I’m in communication with a lot of people from the Lehigh Valley,” McCollum told reporters, “and all my friends I went to school with live in Philly or they live in New York. They work in hedge funds and things of that nature so it’s nice to be back.”
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound shooting guard is one of the smartest players in the league and owns a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism. McCollum is also president of the National Basketball Players’ Association where he speaks on behalf of players regarding major issues.
Tobias Harris Listed Questionable
The Sixers’ four-game road trip continues tonight (Monday, December 6) with a game against the Charlotte Hornets. The team will be gunning for two straight victories following a 98-96 win over Atlanta.
Joel Embiid scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in another short-handed win without starting forward Tobias Harris who was dealing with the flu. Harris remains questionable versus Charlotte, although he did practice with the team on Sunday. Georges Niang would likely get the start if Harris can’t go.