Getty The Sixers want Damian Lillard, but the Blazers don't want to trade the veteran guard.
The Philadelphia 76ers are starting to gain traction on trade discussions involving Ben Simmons.
As the Sixers continue to try to find a trade partner for their All-Star point guard, Philadelphia’s trade talks are starting to heat up as they seek a top-25 player in return, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
“ESPN reporting with @ZachLowe_NBA: Philadelphia’s trade conversations on Ben Simmons gathering momentum in recent days,” says Wojnarowski. “More teams engaged, more two and three-way deal structure talks ongoing as 76ers try to land a Top 25 player for Simmons.”
However, a potential deal isn’t likely to include the Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard.
Why Lillard Trade to Sixers is Unlikely
One of the more popular teams rumored to be in discussions in a possible deal for Simmons are the Blazers. One thing that has been made very clear is that All-NBA guard Damian Lillard will not be moved in a potential deal, says Wojnarowski.
“The Portland Trail Blazers have made clear to the 76ers that All-NBA guard Damian Lillard is not available to be discussed in trade talks and franchise has no interest in moving him, sources tell ESPN.”
As Woj notes, Lillard has expressed a commitment to remain in Portland during his current contract, which runs through at least 2024 (he holds a player option for the 2024-25 season).
The possible reason why the Simmons trade talks may be gaining more traction than it has in recent months is due to the fact that more players will be eligible to be traded — mostly those who were signed in free agency — making a package deal involving two or three teams more likely.
“Much of the renewed impetus surrounds Wednesday, when 84 percent of the league’s 446 players become eligible to be traded,” says Wojnarowski. “Right now, 65 percent are eligible to be moved.”
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Morey Wants Players Like Lillard and Gilgeous-Alexander
If the Blazers are unwilling to move Lillard, that becomes an issue. According to Marc Stein, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey covets a player in the tier of Lillard or the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Morey “continues to hold firm on his ambitions in a Simmons deal, seeking a return package for Simmons headlined by a player from the Damian Lillard/Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tier,” says Stein.
With the Blazers remaining committed to attempting to build a contender around Lillard — despite their 11-15 record and rocky start with Chauncey Billups as head coach — the Thunder seems more likely to part with Gilgeous-Alexander than do the Blazers with Lillard.
Gilgeous-Alexander is just 23 years of age and is already coming off of a 2020-21 season in which he averaged 23.7 points per game on 50.8 percent from the field and 41.8 percent from beyond the arc. While his numbers are down this season, the 6-foot-6 guard has still yet to hit his prime and could be a formidable sidekick to Joel Embiid in Philadelphia.
Considering the Thunder are in a long rebuilding mode process, there’s no reason to believe they wouldn’t trade Gilgeous-Alexander for the right offer — such as a lot of draft capital.
Despite Simmons’ massive deal — he still has four years remaining and roughly $147 million left owed — he is still just 25 years of age and is a premier ball-distributing point guard and defender. Severe shooting limitations aside, Simmons is a major building block if paired with a scoring-first mentality franchise player.
It may take at least three teams involved in a deal to move Simmons out of Philadelphia, but it looks like a deal may be agreed to sooner rather than later.
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