Philadelphia 76ers
Why It Makes Sense for the Portland Trail Blazers
Out of all the trades discussed here, this one far and away has the most potential to completely change the Trail Blazers dynamic as a team.
Ben Simmons is one of the brightest young stars in basketball without a doubt and in just three NBA seasons has accomplished more than most players have in an entire career. At just 23 years old Simmons is already earning All-NBA selections and has firmly cemented himself as one of the best defensive players in the league, finishing fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
The Portland Trail Blazers will be sacrificing Damian Lillard long term backcourt partner CJ McCollum along with their best young prospect Anfernee Simons which will certainly dent the team’s offensive output. But this dent is made up for and more by the defensive boost Simmons will give to the team.
The Portland Trail Blazers had the 26th ranked defense in the league last year and it was painfully apparent at times that their level of defensive play was hampering the team’s success. Adding an elite defender who can guard the 1-5 changes everything. It takes pressure off Lillard in the backcourt and gives Portland a true lockdown defender to put on another team’s star player.
Simmons is used to being a ball-dominant player and will more than likely have to make a change in position. With his height and efficient interior scoring numbers, Simmons would make an ideal starting power forward who could also work as the primary ball-handler while Lillard is on the bench.
Why It Makes Sense for Philadelphia:
The Process appears to be on its last legs in The City of Brotherly Love. After getting swept in the first round by the Boston Celtics, the team had to put somebody on the chopping block. That somebody ended up being Head Coach Brett Brown, who was let go shortly after their playoff exit.
His replacement, longtime Los Angeles Clippers Head Coach Doc Rivers, seems more open to tinkering with the rosters’ main pieces. Current prospect specialist and former pro ballplayers Rashad Phillips leaked the news that Rivers may be open to trading Simmons for a high draft pick in order to draft LaMelo Ball.
With Rivers apparently interested in flipping Simmons, Portland could offer a good package that keeps the Sixers competitive in the short term while helping them down the road as well.
CJ McCollum is just the sort of player that Philly needs in their backcourt. Unlike Simmons, CJ is an elite floor stretcher. He’s spent four of the past five seasons in the top 15 in three-point field goals made including two seasons in the top ten. While he may not be quite the facilitator that Simmons is, McCollum has proven himself as a top tier ball-handler when given the chance.
When Lillard missed six games after the all-star break earlier this year, McCollum responded by averaging over eight assists per game to go along with 33 points. He immediately improves the Sixers spacing and gives them their first opportunity to put four real shooters around Joel Embiid.
Simons gives Philadelphia another floor spacer and scorer who will only get better with age. He’s shown the potential to be an elite scorer off the bench, something that Philadelphia has desperately lacked throughout the past few years.
Simons along with three first-round picks in 2021, 2023 and 2025 gives Philadelphia the assets to maintain their success into the future while still having the present potential to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.