After a subpar season, the Portland Trail Blazers are reportedly shopping their two-time All-Star point guard. The Blazer’s success depends on Lillard; if he signs elsewhere, it could result in a disastrous offseason for Portland and an even bigger payday for Damian himself.
Damian Lillard is a guard for the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. He was drafted by the team in 2012 and has been their starting point guard since then. The “where is damian lillard from” question has been asked before, but now it seems like his uncertain future on a crisis-laden Blazers team could lead to a $33 million blockbuster deal happening sooner than anticipated.
The Portland Trail Blazers are in a pickle and must now deal with the possibility that Damian Lillard could ask for a trade. Unless anything catastrophic occurs, Dame will most likely be looking for a way out before February.
After a blowout defeat to the Boston Celtics this weekend, head coach Chauncey Billups ripped into his squad, and his failure to strengthen Portland’s defense now makes it look as though he was the wrong guy for the position. Meanwhile, with the departure of previous general manager Neil Olshey, the front office is in disarray.
Lillard can only sit back in disgust after preaching improvement all summer. The Blazers’ failure to make major changes, along with the ill-fated hiring of Billups, has backfired, as they are 11-13 through 24 games.
Dame, on the other hand, is said to want to play alongside Ben Simmons, and he now has even more power to push his hand and assist lure the unhappy Philadelphia 76ers player to Portland.
Damian Lillard is allegedly interested in teaming up with Ben Simmons.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Sam Amick said that “tension is increasing” between Billups and the players, as reported by Shams Charania and Sam Amick. Damian Lillard, too, is dissatisfied with the situation, but things might change if the Blazers make a dramatic move.
Lillard “would prefer” to play alongside Ben Simmons, according to The Athletic, whose trade market has yet to be determined due to his ongoing absence from the 76ers. Furthermore, the Blazers and Sixers are said to have discussed Simmons throughout the summer.
According to Charania and Amick, the early conversations focused on Blazers guard CJ McCollum. Daryl Morey and the 76ers supposedly sought many selections and swaps in addition to McCollum, while Portland hoped to get another young player and a pick.
Portland, which was still led by Olshey at the time, backed away from those discussions. However, Olshey’s earlier comments that the current Blazers squad is good enough have been disproven once again. Furthermore, Simmons may be a better match for Lillard than McCollum.
The Blazers’ defense would be considerably improved if Simmons were to join the team.
Ben Simmons has the potential to have a big influence on a Blazers defense that is leaking points.
The Blazers were probably hoping that switching from Terry Stotts to Billups would enhance their defense. However, Portland has the lowest defensive rating in the NBA after 24 games. Opposing teams target Jusuf Nurkic in pick-and-roll situations, which is exacerbated by the fact that neither Lillard nor McCollum are very strong on-ball defenders.
The idea of replacing McCollum with Simmons has a lot of merit. On a nightly basis, the 76ers star is capable of facing the most difficult opponents. As proven by his All-Defensive First Team honors, his length and quick hands make him a nightmare for the top offensive guards in the game.
Simmons would undoubtedly improve Portland’s defense and relieve some of the pressure Lillard faces on that end of the court. As a result, Lillard may be able to improve on his career-worst shooting stats.
The Blazers would almost certainly have to find out how to effectively use Simmons offensively. However, players like Lillard and Norman Powell can get to the basket, making Simmons more more valuable as a dunker than he has been in Philly.
With the Blazers seeking for solutions and attempting to keep Dame happy, a CJ McCollum-for-Ben Simmons deal makes even more sense. But, more importantly, will the Sixers decrease their asking price?
Can the Blazers and 76ers come to an agreement?
Prior to a game at the Wells Fargo Center on February 23, 2019, Damian Lillard shakes hands with Ben Simmons | Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
The Blazers and the 76ers initially failed to reach an agreement. However, given Portland’s poor start to the season, the team has to show greater urgency, and Lillard’s evident desire to play alongside Simmons might reignite negotiations between the two sides.
The Blazers must determine how much future draft selections are worth. They risk losing out on young talent to develop around a Simmons-Lillard backcourt if they spend a lot of money to obtain Simmons. If they stay too cautious, though, they risk Lillard requesting a trade. This, in turn, would very certainly need a complete reconstruction.
In the next months, interim general manager Joe Cronin will have to make a number of tough choices. However, if the Blazers are dead set on retaining Dame, they may have little choice but to make a Ben Simmons deal, regardless of Philadelphia’s asking price.
RELATED: The Philadelphia 76ers were said to be considering a Ben Simmons trade, and now is the perfect time to pull the trigger.
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