Section 215
Fansided

Philadelphia 76ers rumors: “Rift” growing between Damian Lillard, Portland

By David Esser

Jun 1, 2021; Denver, Colorado, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) leaves the court after a double overtime loss to Denver Nuggets during game five in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs. at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 1, 2021; Denver, Colorado, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) leaves the court after a double overtime loss to Denver Nuggets during game five in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs. at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Unquestionably the best case scenario for the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason, landing Damian Lillard via trade would immediately vault the team back into NBA Finals contention. The clock is ticking when it comes to Joel Embiid’s physical prime, and Daryl Morey is more than likely looking to seriously shake things up following a disappointing second-round exit. Ben Simmons in particular is someone who many expect to be dealt this summer following a borderline catastrophic postseason performance against the Atlanta Hawks.

While a hypothetical Lillard-Embiid pairing is enough to get anyone excited, there had been little to suggest that Lillard – who is under contract with Portland through 2024 – was actually set to be made available…until now.

Yahoo Sports reporter Chris Haynes reported that the Trail Blazers’ recent coaching search could be a factor in Lillard departing Portland sooner rather than later, whereas NBA insider Farbod Esnaashari took it one step further, stating that there was already a “growing rift” between Lillard and the Trail Blazers’ front office and ownership:

"Sources tell myself & @AdamNBorai: There is a growing rift between Portland Trail Blazers ownership, Damian Lillard, & the front office. Dame has been in touch with players on other teams this off-season & monitoring Portland’s future before committing to anything. More to come."

If you’re Daryl Morey, you immediately perked up just a tad. While a Lillard trade may have seemed near impossible just a few days ago (simply due to how good he is), potential controversy surrounding his status with the Trail Blazers could see his availability swiftly change. As we saw with James Harden just a few months ago, it is very possible for superstar type talents to be dealt if they’re genuinely unhappy.

All Lillard has to do is say the magic words: “I want to be traded” and it will likely happen.

A top trade target for the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason, Damian Lillard is reportedly growing frustrated with his current team.

Even if Lillard’s frustrations with Portland reaches a boiling point, and he requests a trade, you’re still looking at a scenario where a godfather type trade package will be required to land him. Lillard is arguably a top-10 player in all of basketball, and teams all across the NBA will be lining up insane trade offers to acquire the point guard’s services.

With that said, the Philadelphia 76ers should be in a relatively strong position to beat out competing offers. Ben Simmons still holds a great deal of value around the league despite his recent playoff struggles, and Tyrese Maxey and Matisse Thybulle are both promising young players. The Sixers also have all of their first round picks between 2021 and 2024.

More from Section 215

Assuming Lillard eventually requests a trade, a package like this could get the deal done:

  • Ben Simmons
  • Tyrese Maxey
  • Matisse Thybulle
  • 2021, 2023 first-round picks
  • 2022, 2024 pick swaps

For what it’s worth, I’d personally even offer more draft picks/pick swaps on top of that. Lillard is an elite talent, and pairing him alongside Embiid for the next few years could result in more than one Finals appearance. As great as it is to have young talent and draft picks at your disposal, winning a championship is still the ultimate goal at the end of the day.

Related Story. Philadelphia 76ers: 7 players Daryl Morey could trade Ben Simmons for. light

The Philadelphia 76ers were close to acquiring James Harden this season, and then just missed out on Kyle Lowry around the trade deadline. If Dame ends up becoming available this offseason (which the above mentioned reports appear to be suggesting things are heading towards), one can only assume that Daryl Morey will do everything in his power to make sure his team gets the deal done this go around.