Why the Portland Trail Blazers can drive the price down on Ben Simmons

Damian Lillard, Ben Simmons, Portland Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers, trade Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Damian Lillard, Ben Simmons, Portland Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers, trade Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
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Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /

The Philadelphia 76ers need CJ McCollum just as much as the Portland Trail Blazers need Ben Simmons

CJ McCollum’s trade value has taken a hit. If his slow start to the season didn’t do it, than his collapsed lung certainly will.

But if he can return to form once he’s fully healed, there’s no reason that Morey should be able to demand more than CJ and a couple of first-rounders in exchange for Ben Simmons.

Last season, McCollum put up 23.1 points, while shooting 45 percent from the field and 40 from beyond the arc. Here’s the full list of perimeter players matching those numbers this season or last season:

  • Stephen Curry
  • Kyrie Irving
  • Kevin Durant
  • Zach LaVine
  • Paul George
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
  • Devin Booker

Maybe 1.5 of those players might be available in a Ben Simmons swap and one of them, Kyrie Irving, would probably retire as soon as the trade is announced.

Daryl Morey wants to act like he has all of the leverage since Simmons is signed through 2024-2025. While the Sixers have that much time to trade Ben, does Joel Embiid have that luxury?

Now 27-years-old, Embiid is smack dab in the middle of his prime. With his injury history and massive frame, his window will probably close quicker than most.

Morey is an excellent general manager and has played his cards well so far with the Ben Simmons saga, but if you examine further, you can definitely see through the shroud of confidence. Yes, the Trail Blazers are reeling and should be desperate, but so should the Sixers.

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