The Portland Trail Blazers have been repeatedly linked to Ben Simmons this offseason and for good reason. The Blazers are in desperate need of a shakeup and Simmons’s future is clearly not with the Philadelphia 76ers.
That being said, the prospect of trading for Simmons draws mixed reactions from the Rip City faithful and probably within the front office as well. For all of his strengths, the Australian star point guard has just as many apparent weaknesses. From our Twitter poll, over 41 percent of voters said that they either wouldn’t trade CJ McCollum and picks for Ben Simmons or that it would depend on how many draft assets are outgoing.
He’s certainly a polarizing player within the Blazers fanbase, as well as the NBA fandom in general. Many recognize the potential and the impact he already has on the court, but there is a faction of those who can’t get over his glaring lack of offensive skills and seriously question his commitment to the game.
The Portland Trail Blazers need Ben Simmons, but not necessarily on their team
The Portland Trail Blazers are clearly in win-now mode, emphasized by Damian Lillard’s passive-aggressive threat to leave the team if they don’t put a winning roster around him. Portland has a strong squad around Dame, but they’re most likely still one piece away from being a true contender.
The starting lineup, while clearly effective, just seems too small to be a serious contender when stacked up against the LeBron James-led Los Angeles Lakers, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks, or the star-studded Brooklyn Nets featuring Kevin Durant.
Trading CJ McCollum for Ben Simmons might not be the answer, but getting a third-team involved for a more surefire contributor to Portland’s title chase could be the best move available for General Manager Neil Olshey.
I’ve already covered one three-team trade involving Ben Simmons that would bring Dillon Brooks and Kyle Anderson to Rip City that is still on the table with a couple adjustments. Here are three more possible three-team trades involving Simmons that would greatly bolster the Blazers championship chances.