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Are The Sixers And Blazers Working On A Ben Simmons, CJ McCollum Trade?

Ben Simmons hasn’t participated in a Sixers game since Game 7 of the second-round series against the Atlanta Hawks in the previous 2021 NBA playoffs. Through 19 games this season, the hopes of Simmons returning to the court still seems very unlikely.

After a hampered trade demand and failure to cooperate with the team during practices and meetings early in the season, Simmons has shifted his focus on working on his mental health and cited this as one of the reasons why he doesn’t intend to appear in a Sixers game just yet.

While the Sixers listened to Simmons and even offered him professional assistance to help him with his mental health issues, the 25-year old Sixers point guard believes the team is recently making an attempt to force him into playing.

Damian Lillard on the other side was always considered to be a successor of Dirk, Tim and Kobe – someone to remain with his franchise for the entirety of his career. Dirk’s loyalty and the loyalty Dallas gave back to Dirk is something Damian Lillard always drew inspiration from anyways.

While Lillard never officially requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers, they’ve done their best to trigger one by striking out in free agency once again, failing to surround Lillard with championship contending talent.

If we combine these two situations, a solution seems logical. And it might possibly happen. The Blazers could trade for Ben Simmons, per Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

“Multiple sources have told The Athletic that Lillard would like to play with Philadelphia 76ers three-time All-Star Ben Simmons. The Trail Blazers’ league-worst defense would instantly improve, and sharing a backcourt with a non-shooter could work given Lillard’s high-volume usage.”

Since the Blazers would need to offer the Sixers something in return they would have to include McCollum as a centerpiece:

“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.”

A trade like this would most certainly be beneficial to both teams and I wouldn’t be too surprised if it actually happens. Judging by Ben Simmons’s Twitter likes, he would not be opposed to a possible trade to Portland.